It is one year since the shelter is occupied...
Finally therapeutic community is emerging. The place has healing environment for all victims of sex trafficking who have come here. A palpable difference is observed in any victim once she reaches the community.
At the children's level, today more and more children are being prepared for mainstreamed life. This year close to 51 children have been admitted it normal schools.
An extraordinary milestone in the adult shelter has been the landmark agreement with Govt of Andhra Pradesh to recruit survivors of trafficking as security guards in girls residential schools. 45 girls were selected and trained and are now in the process of joining duties in various government run residential schools.
Therapeutic community is also having a great impact on the health status of the victims. Most HIV positive persons feel much more energized in the open environment in the midst of nature.
Slowly staff issues are getting streamlined and the community is becoming a true place for all to heal.
The new shelter has brought in stability and tranquility in the lives of all the women and children. But the distance and remoteness of the location has also brought with it a whole new range of operational issues. To start with many staff resigned as they did not want to relocate to the village and disturb their family dynamics.
For the children and the girls who were either studying or working in the city organizing daily transport to ferry them became a big challenge. It also has become a massive challenge to deal with issues such as lack of specialized medical services...whole sale shops to buy clothes or provisions at a subsidized rates has created extra resources to be mobilized.
Today having a new place has at one end reduced so much of our costing such as rent etc but operational cost like hiring a vehicle for transportation has increased our expenses disproportionately.
I am sure over a period of time, we will find our own answers...but till then struggle continues.
After a lot of struggle finally the new shelter is ready for occupation. Please check out the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YziMgRL8UZM
I thank all our friends and well wishers who have supported us in this herculean task.
The challenge ahead is to sustain this place.
I am sure all of you will continue to support this mission.
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