Child protection is about saving children’s lives

Child protection is about saving children’s lives.
UNICEF considers street children to be at extremely high risk due to lack of adult care, their vulnerability to abuse and a dependence on the streets for survival.

The Hope Foundation’s primary objective is the protection of children who live on the streets and in the slums of Kolkata. Child protection is about rescuing children from exploitation and abuse, starvation and sickness. It’s about protecting the most vulnerable in society and providing them with immediate care.

Depending on the needs of the child, they may go on to live in one of our protection homes where they will receive our care and support for as long as they need it. There is no limit to our care. Children rescued by HOPE will have a family and support for life, not just until they turn 18. Other children we rescue may return to live with their families, while receiving on-going community based support from HOPE.

Together with our partner NGO’s we work to offer alternatives to child labour so that children have childhoods. HOPE is also engaged in initiates to prevent child trafficking. We believe it should never hurt to be a child. The Hope Foundation work to restore childhoods to traumatised and abandoned children.

Our Child-Watch Programme takes positive action to protect children at risk through our emergency response team. Health experts and volunteers patrol the streets of Kolkata every night, responding to those most in need.

To read more about child watch please click here.

Creating Homes For Children

The Hope Foundation was first set-up with a vision to fund one home for girls. Seeing the on-going huge need to create safe and nurturing shelter for children at risk, our protection work continues to grow providing counselling and education as well as meeting physical human needs.

We now run 11 protection homes, three of which are directly run by the Hope Kolkata Foundation (HFK), the implementing agency of The Hope Foundation in India, the remainder are run with local partner organisations and overseen by HOPE.

HOPE Protection Homes

Bekind Boys Home – Bekind Boys Home is managed by HOPE and fully funded by Bekind Ireland. Boys under 14 years of age are provided with a safe and secure protective home to learn and grow in.

Kasba Girls Home – Girls below 14 years of age rescued for vulnerable situations on the streets and within the slums of Kolkata are provided for holistically. The girls also engage in recreational activities and outings, while residing in a safe, child-first environment.

AsharAlo Girls Home – HOPE’s new girl’s protection home caters for the needs of girls between 14-16 years of age, inclusive of girls above 18 years of age who are placed in secure and supported hostel care. This home provides all the necessary care for these young women to become independent, informed and confident young women through guidance, education and job placement support.

Ashirbad Boys Home – Boys over 10 years of age who are rescued from Kolkata’s dangerous streets and slums are provided with a safe and protective shelter, with a loving and caring environment in which they can call home.

Punorjibon Boys Rehabilitaion Home – Boys rescued from Kolkata and Howrah railway platforms, who were forced into substance abuse due to extreme poverty, hunger and in an attempt to gain a release from their daily trauma, are rescued and undergo detoxification before arriving to Punorjibon for their rehabilitative care. This protective home prepares the boys to re-enter Indian society as productive citizens through the delivery of educational support, vocational training and job placement.

Crisis Intervention Centre Male – Providing immediate care and protection to boys and young men who have been rescued from hazardous and dangerous situations on the streets of Kolkata. The boys are placed in short-term protective care and receive holistic support such as nutrition and counselling, alongside rehabilitation, restoration and repatriation support to return home, where appropriate and possible. If unable to return home, the boys are placed in protection homes for their long-term protection and development.

Crisis Intervention Centre Female – Providing immediate care and protection with a temporary shelter home for girls and young women who experience violence, abuse or neglect throughout the streets of Kolkata. The services provided are the same as the male Crisis Intervention Centre (see above).

Mother & Child Care Unit – Short-term, immediate care and protection for mothers and children who experience difficulties on the streets and in the slums of Kolkata. Necessary support services are provided on a needs-basis, with family restoration, rehabilitation and repatriation as an integral part of the project where possible.

PBK Girls Home – A shelter home for 18 children of sex workers in the Kalighat district of Kolkata, working to eradicate second generation prostitution through the restoration of their childhoods and the delivery of education, protection, healthcare, counselling, recreational and holistic and full development.

Keertika Girls Home – 25 at-risk girls are supported in the Keertika Home through the provision of healthcare, education, protection, counselling, nutrition and recreation activities. Many of the girls have fallen victim to trafficking, physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse or were at great risk and danger of such violations and neglect.

BPWT Protection Home for HIV Infected and Affected Children – Protective shelter which provides care and support to HIV/AIDS infected and affected children, ensuring they receive quality health and medical care, nutrition, counselling, family support and formal education. 25 boys and girls under 14 years of age are catered for in the Snehaner Protection Home.