In parts of West Bengal, early marriage is often normalised through custom, placing adolescent girls at risk of trafficking and exploitation. School-based Speaking Tours are helping change this reality by equipping students to recognise danger and seek help early. Over the past two years, these sessions have reached adolescents across several schools, introducing them to trafficking, forced marriage and child protection. 

During one session in 2024, two teenage girls realised that what they were facing was not destiny but exploitation. One girl was only days away from a forced marriage, while the other had already been married and taken out of state. Remembering the session, a classmate alerted school authorities, and the second girl contacted a helpline from her classroom. 

Both girls were recovered through action with protection agencies and law enforcement and have since returned to education. These tours function as protection mechanisms, preventing exploitation before it begins.