The royal couple visited a facility run by the Salaam Baalak Trust, an organisation supporting some of the youngsters who arrive into the city’s railway station each day in search of a better life.
William and Kate, who are on the third day of their week-long tour of India and Bhutan, today met some of the 6,000 children travel to New Delhi each year, often fleeing from abuse or appalling poverty.
Once they arrive in the Indian capital, the youngsters become a target for prostitution, people trafficking or sexual and physical abuse. The royal couple heard how the Trust’s outreach workers try to identify the most vulnerable young children as soon as they arrive, encouraging them to seek support.
The Duke and Duchess heard today how some of the children have their eyes gouged out and hands hacked off to make them more ‘attractive ‘ as professional beggars.
But the horrors of life on the street seemed far removed from the children’s minds as they invited the visiting royals to join them for a round of carom, a traditional table game. William and Kate appeared in good spirits as they crouched down on the floor with the boys, who live in the nearby station.
Flicking the draught, he laughed as it went too far and invited his wife to have a go. The charity’s director Sanjoy Roy told the couple about the charity’s work. ‘The boys come here for four hours of lessons and some food every day,’ he said. ‘When they’re not here, they’re at the railway station.’
‘They often have to deal with trauma, learning difficulties, ADHD and we have special programmes to help them with that. These children that we look after are the most vulnerable. Some may have their eyes gauged out or hands hacked off.
‘The primary reasons they run away from home are misunderstanding with step-parents, physical and mental abuse, incredible poverty or a life event such as forced marriage.’
The couple will later have lunch with Indian Prime Minister Modi, leading to heightened speculation the issue of Indian firm Tata’s decision to pull out of the British steel industry will be discussed.
Later they will fly to Assam where they will spend two days in Kaziranga National Park to highlight rural and conservation issues.
As well as enjoying a safari in the World Heritage Site, which boasts tiger and the Rhinoceros Unicornis – Indian one-horned rhino – as elephant and swamp deer, they will take part in a colourful sunset ceremony.
Their visit comes at the time of the Bohag Bihu festival, the celebration of Assamese New Year. William and Kate will meet local people around a campfire and watch dance and musical performances. They may even take part themselves.
Courtesy Daily Mail