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HISTORY AND MILESTONES Prajaak was established in 1997. Till late 1998 Praajak conducted operational research with support from the DFID funded West Bengal State aids Control Society (WBSACS) on male sexual health and designing appropriate behaviour change communication in the context of the aids epidemic. From 1998 Praajak has been working in two government run institutions for children at Barasat and Ariadaha (North 24parganas), West Bengal with children in Need of Care and Protection and children in conflict with Law. In 1999, it started work at Bandel, Naihati and Baruipur railway stations with children living and working on railway platforms. By 2003 Praajak's work in railway stations had spread to Sheoraphuli, Bardhaman, Malda, Bolpur, Rampurhat, Bongaon and Asansol. In 2004 Praajak started intervening with migrating children from Bangladesh and Nepal at Bongaon, Lalgola, Hili, Panitanki and New Jalpaiguri. Work with Institutionalised children has also been extended to government run Homes at Baharampur and Jalpaiguri. In 2000 Praajak was selected as the resource organisation for West Bengal as part of the nation wide initiative on Quality Institutional Care and Alternatives for Children. (QIC & AC) In 2003 Praajak conducted research in the Hughly district on children trafficked to gold- making units in Bangalore. Since then we have integrated a concern for traffic for child labour in all our programs. Praajak also extended its institutional care program to three government- aided NGO- run Institutions for children in West Bengal. By the end of 2004 Praajak started working with under 18 boys from rural areas of West Bengal who are recruited into folk entertainment troops or communities of hijras and through that into prostitution. In 2004 Praajak helped set -up a community based organisation called NIRMAN in Baruipur and handed over the responsibility to run its programmes in the Baruipur railway station area to them. Currently, Praajak is designing a mentoring- cum- juvenile justice program for under 18 boys prone to getting absorbed into organised crime. Praajak is also trying to highlight different populations of CNCP who have been so far invisibilised.