Answering the call
How the child helpline in Surkhet, supported by the EWPN programme, is serving as a vital resource for children in need of protection and assistance
Surkhet, Nepal: In the small office where the child helpline is based in Surkhet District in western Nepal, Samjhana Adhikari is quick to pick up the phone when it rings, her pen already poised to jot down notes. She listens intently to the caller, asking a few questions while filling out the paper at the desk with the information she is gathering.
This is just one of many calls Samjhana and her colleagues at the helpline receive each day.
“We’re here for children who are suffering or at high risk of abuse, exploitation, trafficking, child labour, child marriage – all these things,” Samjhana explains. “If they call us, we then work to connect them to the right services.”
The helpline is a crucial resource for children in need of protection and assistance. Supported in Surkhet through the Empowered Women, Prosperous Nepal (EWPN) programme – a joint initiative of the Government of Nepal, the European Union and the United Nations – this 24-hour hotline provides access to trained responders who offer guidance, emergency interventions, and referrals to essential services.
Rehana Banu, another team member, emphasizes how the helpline not only offers a way out of difficult situations but also provides much-needed psychological support. For her, the helpline’s mission resonates deeply.
“When I had my accident and had to use a wheelchair, I didn’t know about this service,” she shares. “I could have gotten the psychological help I needed.”
Now working with the helpline, Rehana is committed to helping other children access the support they deserve.
The helpline’s team, including senior counselor Nisha Paudel, ensures that every call is acted on. “The cases are reported through the child helpline number, 1098,” Nisha explains.
“We document the information and determine the necessary action — whether that’s coordinating with local authorities for immediate rescue or referring the child to a counselor or legal services.”
Staff also collaborate closely with the One-Stop Crisis Management Centre (OCMC) at the local hospital, ensuring that children who require medical or psychosocial care are referred to the right services. In cases involving legal concerns, the team also consult with lawyers, guiding children through the legal process and ensuring children’s rights are upheld.
Samjhana says that among other things, the key value of the helpline is its role as a bridge for children who might otherwise fall through the cracks of the system.
“There have been times when children approached agencies directly but were dismissed,” Samjhana says. “Through the helpline’s intervention, their cases were heard and addressed.”