Railway Children

How you can help

We are proud to support Railway Children, a charity dedicated to the protection of children living on the streets in the UK, India and Africa. By providing funds, we can help get to these street kids before the streets get to them. You can help by donating your Loyalty Points towards the Railway Children, simply log in to your account using your username and password, then choose the amount of points you want to donate.

Railway Children exists to help vulnerable children in grave circumstances. Their objective is to provide relief to children and young people who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress and in particular to those living on the streets.

For these children, the streets are often the only means of support available but also where they suffer abuse and exploitation.

Since their inception in 1995, Railway Children has helped many thousands of children and young people by working with over 26 partner organisations on 117 projects across the UK, India and Africa. Last year they helped 27,756 street children around the world.

Railway Children believe that early intervention is a crucial aspect of preventing children living on the streets coming to harm, and reaching street children before an abuser can. To find out how Railway Children help in more detail, please go to www.railwaychildren.org.uk .

Railway Children aspires to create a safer, brighter future for our children and they believe that to achieve this they must effect the sustained change that can only come about by educating communities and lobbying governments.

How Railway Children Started

The idea behind Railway Children began in 1993 when David Maidment, Chairman of Railway Children (former Controller of Safety Policy with British Rail), was on a business trip in Mumbai. David was deeply moved by the many street children he saw at the main railway terminal, and was haunted by the image of a 7 year old girl beating herself to elicit sympathy and money. On his return he researched all organisations working to help street children and realised no one was focussing on early intervention. In 1995 Railway Children was launched.

Working with partners

Railway Children works closely with various governmental, non-governmental and local communities in the UK, India and Africa. They work in partnership with local voluntary organisations to provide:

• A point of contact for children arriving at transport terminals and other early destination points.
• Family reintegration, shelter, healthcare, education, training, protection and, above all, care and friendship.

Railway Children believe in partnering with local organisations rather than implementing the interventions themselves. This approach also aids in keeping their overall costs low, thus ensuring that almost every pound (and point) that is donated reaches the children directly.