By Anukrati Saxena | Operations Analyst
My Choices Foundation (MCF) is a Hyderabad-based NGO dedicated to ending violence, abuse, and exploitation against women and girls in India. We address two of the most prevalent and difficult forms of abuse - domestic violence and trafficking of young girls for sexual exploitation. We are currently active in 8 states - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal. Operation Red Alert is the anti-sex trafficking initiative of My Choices Foundation and works towards ending large-scale trafficking in India through PREVENTION.
COVID-19 and Yaas Relief :
Sex Trafficking particularly thrives in situations where women are uninformed and unaware of what it is and its consequences. They are betrayed, lured, tricked into promises of a good job and a better life. It hugely occurs in rural social-economic backward communities because of profound poverty and economic desperation. Traffickers are always on the lookout for women living in poverty, lacking employment opportunities, and encountering greater socio-economic divides. The COVID 19 pandemic aggravated this situation leading to a pandemic within a pandemic. In addition to this, many districts in West Bengal were affected by the YAAS Cyclone, making them even more vulnerable to the risks associated with trafficking and violence. Addressing the situation, My Choices Foundation conducted awareness programmes about domestic violence, sex trafficking, and the safety regulations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic across several vulnerable and remote villages across 8 states. While conducting these programmes, we identified families in dire need of support and so distributed food packets, masks and other essentials to underprivileged communities. To tackle the situation and contribute towards the safety and comfort of the vulnerable population, My Choices Foundation distributed relief material including, food packets, mosquito nets, sanitary and hygiene products, medicines etc worth 1.86 lakhs in the affected districts of West Bengal.
The Glocal Giving Funds have been helpful and are being utilised for the relief activities, awareness generation and distribution of essentials across the vulnerable intervention villages of My Choices Foundation. We thank GlobalGiving India for its support and encouragement.
Know more about My Choices Foundation :
We are working on the prevention of sex trafficking across India. We have conducted more than 5000 Safe Village Programs, spreading information about the prevention and management of sex trafficking. This had led to significant behaviour change amongst the community members. Taking another leap towards the prevention of sex trafficking, we plan to empower vulnerable women of these communities by providing support, training and exposure in turn, decreasing the probability of them being trafficked. Our network of 100 implementing partners and 2000 Gram Mitras, Nodal Teachers and Rakshaks and strong connections with the communities and village leadership is vital to achieving the desired impact. The same network of implementing partners and grassroots stakeholders are also helping in spreading awareness and support for relief activities across these villages.
For more information on My Choices Foundation’s other activities, please visit our website at www.mychoicesfoundation.org. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and subscribe to our channel on Youtube
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