Organizational Vision
CHILDLINE is India’s first 24-hour emergency phone service for street children in need of emergency assistance. CHILDLINE India Foundation (CIF), the CSO responsible for the administration of this service, aims to reach out to every street child in need of care and protection throughout the country.

To accomplish this objective, CIF needed to develop a structure that would enable growth and multiplication, while not forcing the concept into an institutional model. CIF sought to create a decentralized, yet integrated and quality-assured approach to its program expansion.

Citizen-Based Strategy
To meet this vision, CIF created a system based on what it defines as the franchise model. “The franchise model is a unique approach [to the replication of social change initiatives],” explains Jeroo Billimoria, “but it’s like a franchise of any product: Aptech, Archie’s, or even McDonalds.” CIF packages, markets, and delivers CHILDLINE services to partnering cities throughout India. While each city evolved its own operating mechanism and delivery pattern, CHILDLINE framed a common identity in all cities. All centers follow the same philosophy and framework. Therefore, while operationally independent at the city level, the CHILDLINE concept is designed to develop an interconnected nationwide movement.

CIF delivers its package to franchisees in a phased manner by first identifying a city which could benefit from a franchise, then identifying a partnering CSO. There are several criteria that a city must meet in order to receive a franchise. It must have a population of over 1 million; it must be home to a large number of marginalized children, and it must have an active network of CSOs working with children and focused on the provision for crisis management and long-term rehabilitation. In most cases, CIF also acquires a written commitment of support from a representative of the health care system and from the police commissioner – verifying commitment to the service.

A potential franchisee also has to meet basic criteria. It must demonstrate a proven capacity to network with government offices, corporations, and other CSOs. It must have the motivational level necessary to start and sustain CHILDLINE. It must also have a record of financial accountability and capacity to conduct trainings and monthly meetings.

To achieve integration of the franchises, quality control, and a common ‘brand’, the CHILDLINE package consists of training of all participants, installation of software systems that manage calls and communicate with other franchisees, rights to CHILDLINE’s name and logo, and access to its national telephone number. In 1994, CIF approached the telecommunications department in Mumbai, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), requesting a toll-free phone service for children. After negotiations, MTNL allotted a special number, 1098, to CIF. Today, a child in need of assistance dials this numbers and is immediately connected to a CIF collaborating organization.

With partners in a growing number of cities, CIF saw the need to create a model of computer-based networking and intervention across India. With such a system in place, each CHILDLINE would be linked to a central computer network, allowing each center to network online every day. Asia’s larges software house, Tata Consulting Services designed this system as a free service to CHILDLINE.

CIF encourages all franchisees to be financially self-sufficient through local fundraising. Most of CIF’s own central costs are covered through administrative fees and pro-bono and in-kind contributions.

At the moment, most CIF franchises are government funded.

Results
In 1998, with the success of the pilot phase, the Indian government’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment adopted CHILDLINE as a national project, with the immediate intention of extending it to 30 cities, and expansion to additional 100 cities in the years to come.

CHILDLINE has found its model to be very replicable and is looking at opportunities to expand regionally and internationally.

Read a profile about Jeroo Billimoria, Ashoka Fellow.