William and Kate meet India's poorest children at train station in New Delhi

Robert Jobson12 April 2016

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met some of India’s poorest and most vulnerable children today.

William and Kate looked deeply moved as they heard first-hand from a number of street kids about how they had run away from home due to abuse or poverty.

They ended up at New Delhi train station where they were a target for prostitution, people trafficking or sexual and physical abuse.

On average 6,600 children end up at the capital’s station every year, where charity the Salaam Baalak Trust tries to help them with food, education and essential healthcare.

The royals, on the third day of their week-long tour of India and Bhutan, visited a drop-in centre for the charity at the station, which helps kids from ages 5-18.

Drop-in visit: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge play a game of carrom with street children
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Kate, wearing a striking full-length patterned red dress, and William first joined in a lesson with boys who were living in the nearby station.

The couple sat down and William asked: “What’s the game you’re playing? Ah, karom board. Can you show us how to play?”

Flicking the draught, he laughed as it went too far and invited his wife to have a go.

Royal appearance: Kate Middleton during an art class run by Salaam Baalak, which provides emergency help to homeless children at New Delhi station (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

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. When they’re not here, they’re at the railway station”.

William asked: “Is that dangerous?”

Mr Roy replied: “Yes so they try to stick together.

The couple visited New Delhi station on the third day of their royal tour
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

“We look after around 7000 kids a year, but every day around 40 to 50 new children arrive at the 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.

Having a go: William plays a game of carrom with street children
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

“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 charity has six homes, 21 contact centres and three Childline centres near stations, bus stands and railway stations across Delhi.

William asked: “What can we do to help?”

Mr Roy replied: “Spread the word. People think of them as street kids, beggars, thieves but they are just children.

“They deserve an education, future and a life. They have a right to a childhood.”

The charity was established from the proceeds of the film Salaam Bombay directed by Mira Nair about vulnerable street children.

The charity helps older children with physical and mental health care, life-skills education, vocational training, sports, job placement and counselling in HIV/AIDS and TB awareness.

Today there are thirteen contact points mostly near railway stations and a 24-hour toll-free helpline service catering to children in distress all over India, in all looking after 7,000 children every year.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in India and Bhutan

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Salaam Baalak Trust children, who have been trained in theatre, dance and puppetry, are giving performances all over the world.

Later the Duke and Duchess had a meeting followed by lunch with India’s Prime Minister Modi.

Royal sources said the royal couple were grateful to have this chance to meet the Prime Minister as this tour was first announced following Mr Modi’s lunch with The Queen in January.

They also had a private meeting with Non Governmental Organisation working in Delhi before departing the city.

The couple were then flying to Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam.

There they were to focus on the role of conservation in the lives of the rural people of this area.

Kaziranga is a World Heritage Site and a wildlife conservation site of great global importance.

As well as being the home of elephants, water buffalo, a number of bird species, the endangered swamp deer, and a high density of tigers, Kaziranga also has two-thirds of the world’s population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses.

Later today they will join in celebrations of the Bohag Bihu festival, the celebration of the Assamese New Year.

Around a campfire, the Duke and Duchess will meet local people and see dance and musical performances in a colourful introduction to rural life in India.

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