Indian network Red FM partnered with children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi’s Children’s Foundation under its annual CSR initiative this year.
Satyarthi is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save Childhood Movement), the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, Global March Against Child Labour, and GoodWeave International.
To date, Satyarthi and his team have liberated more than 86,000 children in India from child labour, slavery and trafficking.
The network’s campaign – ‘Bajao For A Cause’, takes up a cause of social significance to raise awareness and funds, and to act as the mouthpiece of those voiceless minor sections of society who remain unrepresented.
This year, the campaign kickstarted on June 12 on World Day Against Child Labour and aimed to raise funds for Surakshit Bachpan Fund (Safe Childhood Fund) to provide immediate medical, legal, and psychological assistance to child victims of child labour, sex crimes and abuse.
Red FM called upon their listeners to donate a minimum amount of INR 1,000 towards the cause and an amount of INR 8,551,428 was raised.
During the campaign the Foundation along with Red FM RJ Raunac had also conducted 5 live raids in Delhi where a total of 63 children were rescued.
Summing up the initiative Red FM COO Nisha Narayanan said: “Our aim is to take up a cause that is affecting the nation widely and using radio as a medium to appeal to our listeners to raise funds to combat the situation. We believe our collaboration with Satyarthi’s ‘Surakshit Bachpan’ initiative will bring a positive change in the lives of young souls. The reach of radio is far and wide and will help percolate the message to stop child labour and child exploitation by educating and mobilizing the masses.”
Kailash Satyarthi said: “Radio was a tool for my activism when I started my fight against child labour. Radio as a broadcast medium has a far-reaching impact and the ability to reach out to the most remote areas. I am happy that the message of Safe Childhood could reach the masses.”