Manasa Varanasi joins Hyderabad police in the launch of a campaign against child sexual abuse.

On Saturday, VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020 Manasa Varanasi, in association with Hyderabad City Police and Bharosa Support Centre for Women and Child, drove a campaign against child sexual abuse at Bharosa Centre Hyderabad.

Manasa, who hails from Hyderabad, Telangana, will be representing India at the prestigious Miss World 2021 pageant. And for her Beauty with a Purpose Project has taken up the cause of preventing and stopping child sexual abuse with the help of the campaign ‘We Can’ and is proud to be associated with Bharosa as part of her project 10-9-8 instated to promote the safety and security of children.

Telangana, India’s newest state, is one of the few states in India with a dedicated department for the holistic development of women and children. Every year, part of the WCDW’s mission involves identifying and rescuing such children in distress. And today, while the internet has become a medium for abusing children, Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said that Bharosa, a support center for women and children in distress, has played a key role in attaining conviction in 86 cases.

Through her project 10-9-8, Manasa hopes to promote and creates awareness about 1098, the Child Helpline number, and addresses various other challenges. 10-9-8 is a national hotline for Child Protection, but there has been very low public awareness. As a spokesperson for the campaign, she used social media, news, TV, and billboards to create awareness. Bringing in expertise and the skills of some of the country’s most able child rescue experts was also vital, and a series of interviews and podcasts helped create awareness and the reach of the program. In addition, her voice will be recorded and played at 66 traffic signal junctions. Through this campaign, she also wishes to reach out to all stakeholders — schools, hospitals, orphanages, etc.

She took to her social media to introduce her project as she wrote, “The objective of my project is to promote and create awareness about 1098 which is the Child Helpline number. With my project, I also aim to strengthen the child protection system in India and also spread awareness on how a young child in distress can reach out for help with a number as simple as 1098.”

After the successful launch of the project she shared her feelings as she mentioned, “The feeling is indescribable! I felt a mixture of emotions on the launch day of my Beauty With A Purpose Project. It is a huge honour to partner with the Hyderabad City police to generate awareness about 10-9-8 and strengthen the child protection system in Telangana.” With a vision to ensure the highest levels of safety, access, rapid response, and awareness on child issues reach every abandoned child of the Telangana state, Manasa dedicated her time and effort for the cause she holds close to her heart.

With a vision to ensure the highest levels of safety, access, rapid response, and awareness on child issues reach every abandoned child of the Telangana state, Manasa dedicated her time and effort for the cause she holds close to her heart!

The beauty queen who graced the launch event of ‘We Can’ expressed her gratitude to Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar and Senior IPS officer Shikha Goel for their time and their continuing support towards this noble cause.