SATHI is an NGO for children who are missing or lost at India’s railway stations. With the help of the authorities, these children are rescued by SATHI (Society for Assistance to Children in Difficult Situations) and taken to the organization’s safe home where, with the help of the police and the authorities, the children are reunited with their families. For the past 27 years, SATHI has been dedicatedly working towards supporting children in vulnerable circumstances. This NGO for children was founded in 1998 in Bengaluru in Karnataka to be a constant guardian presence at India’s railways stations for missing or lost children who need help to get back to their families. SATHI has expanded its reach exponentially over the years to help thousands of children and aims to continue reaching more children in need of protection. 

The two-fold focus of this NGO for children

The primary focus of SATHI’s mission revolves around two crucial themes: early intervention and the restoration of separated children back to their families. The concept of early intervention is paramount to SATHI’s approach. The NGO for children aims to contact or rescue children within one or two days of their arrival at railway stations or other public places. This proactive approach is designed to prevent children from enduring prolonged exposure to the risks and hardships of street life.

Furthermore, SATHI strongly believes in the principle that “home” is the best place for a child to live and grow. With this in mind, the NGO for children is committed to the restoration of separated children back to their families. This involves diligent efforts to reunite lost or missing children with their families and ensure there is a stable and nurturing environment for their growth and development.

A mother’s helplessness

One day, Rekha Devi’s young son Aditya got onto a train and got lost on his way home. Aditya was just eleven years old and innocent of the dangers of the world for an unprotected child. “For over four days, I could neither swallow a morsel of food nor did my tears stop. I sobbed while going from house to house in search of my 11-year-old son who had gone missing. The horror only ended when I received a call from the police informing me that the NGO for children named SATHI had rescued my Aditya from a railway station in Pune,” shares a heartbroken yet grateful mother named Rekha Devi from Bihar. 

Thousands of children like Aditya are abducted by traffickers at railway stations across India each year and lost forever. The constant presence of this NGO for children at railway stations thwarts criminals from abducting children and ensures that any missing children are brought to safety. To support SATHI, you can donate here. 

Keeping children safe and secure at railway stations

SATHI teams are present around the clock at railway stations in cities such as Pune, Delhi and Bengaluru so that if there is an unaccompanied minor who is in trouble, this NGO for children will be the first ones to spot the child and take him or her to safety before they come across anyone who seeks to exploit them. Without SATHI, countless children who accidentally get lost or go missing would be in grave danger.

the SATHI team with a child

“If a child is not rescued in time from a potential trafficker or leaves the railway station, that child could be lost forever. And therefore, it is imperative that we have our teams stationed on platforms. Once rescued, a report is filed with the police and government authorities, and they are then brought to our shelter homes. We then begin the arduous task of tracking the child’s family. Once that is done, a government body assesses the family of the child to evaluate if the child’s home is conducive for the child’s wellbeing. In the meantime children are provided counselling to help them to recover from the trauma they have faced while on their own,” explains Vineet Raichur of the NGO for children. 

Rescuing children at railway stations

At the core of SATHI’s mission lies the critical task of rescuing runaway and separated children from railway platforms. The pivotal initiative of this NGO for children aims to swiftly intervene and retrieve children from the vulnerabilities of railway stations, subsequently resettling them either with their families or placing them in childcare institutions where they can receive proper care and support.

SATHI’s pioneering work in the rescue and rehabilitation of children in contact with railways (CCR) stands as one of its most notable achievements. The dedication of this NGO for children has led to the formation of best practices encompassing rescue, counselling, restoration and aftercare for these children. This pioneering work has earned SATHI recognition from multiple stakeholders. What sets SATHI apart from many other NGOs for children is its unique blend of strong field presence combined with networking and advocacy capabilities at both local and national levels. This has enabled SATHI to contribute significantly to key policy developments in childcare including those specifically addressing children in contact with railways (CCR). The impactful work of this NGO for children has garnered numerous accolades and awards, including the prestigious National Award for Child Welfare from the Honourable President of India in 2015.

SATHI’s plea for help to save their safe home

“Children are forced to starve for days or beg for scraps to survive when travelling on trains. Often children haven’t slept or eaten for days when they are rescued. We have had cases where children had suffered serious physical and sexual abuse. Our first approach is to identify children who are in visible distress, have soiled clothes and are scavenging in the garbage. It is the care and love they receive at SATHI, is what enables them to start feeling safe, shares Vineet of the NGO for children.   

the SATHI team with children

SATHI fears that much of their important work will have to be cut back because of a lack of funds. According to Vineet, the NGO for children had three operational shelters at Pune, Delhi and Bengaluru but due to a shortage of funds their shelter at Bengaluru had to be shut down. “Now we are struggling to run even the two remaining shelter homes, putting at jeopardy our work and the lives of children”. Any donation to SATHI’s fundraiser, small or large, will go a long way towards keeping missing and lost children safe. To support SATHI, you can donate here.

“Our mission is to save every single child that has lost their way home but we can not do this alone. We are in urgent need of funds to extend our reach to ensure that we are there the moment a lost child lands at a railway platform,” Vineet appeals. 

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Over the years, SATHI has expanded its operations across the landscape of India, working in more than 40 locations spread across 14 states. The dedicated efforts of this NGO for children have directly benefited over 100,000 child beneficiaries and provided them with a chance for a brighter future. Through their unwavering commitment to child safety and compassionate approach, SATHI continues to make a significant impact in the lives of vulnerable children, putting them on track towards a stable and promising future. 

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