CCI

Aiding children who are victims of sexual tourism, slavery, and all other forms of exploitation

Children’s Care International / Aide Internationale Pour l’Enfance is a non-profit organization founded in 2000. Our mission is to open rehabilitation centres throughout developing countries (and countries where these horrors exist), to aid children who are victims of sexual tourism, slavery, and all other forms of exploitation. CCI provides access to education, professional training, sanitary living conditions, safe food, as well as psychological support so that the children can successfully reintegrate society.

In June 2003, CCI opened the Rainbow Centre — our first rehabilitation centre in Andra Pradesh, India — and has already welcomed 30 children (aged 10 to 13 years) who have been freed, through the support of local organizations, from slavery. Some of these children worked as stonecutters, some as fishermen, and others in shrimp plants where they would have to climb into and clean tanks using extremely toxic chemicals. The Rainbow Centre is managed in cooperation with ARDAR, a local NGO (non-governmental organization). CCI’s second rehabilitation centre in India will open in the Spring of 2006.

Helping children overcome the psychological trauma of slavery

To help these children overcome their psychological trauma, they receive basic education including specialized training in the arts (theatre, play, dance and song) as well as learn a practical trade such as cabinet making, sewing, and weaving.

Financial support for families

Families receive financial support to compensate for lost revenue and, in exchange, the parents must attend monthly meetings designed to educate them about the dangers of forced child labour. This approach allows for both the family and the community to actively support the children through their emotional and psychological development.

Preventing child labour and sexual slavery

CCI wishes to build close working ties with the local organizations to better help those communities most affected by sexual slavery and child exploitation. The emphasis of our approach is placed on prevention, hence parents and other family members are encouraged to find alternatives other than child labour to meet their needs.

In addition to the front-line support offered to the children, CCI is also dedicated to informing and educating local and international communities about the problems of child labour and sexual slavery.