Gift Freedom to 500 Victims of Sex Trafficking

Save The Children India (STCI) is a nonprofit organization that envisions India as a Child-Friendly Nation. It is committed to preventing the exploitation and all other forms of discrimination against vulnerable women and children, and empowering them to lead a life of dignity, self-respect, and independence.

All routine activities came to a halt in the 2 nd week of March, when owing to a government order, the office as well as the school and all centers across locations were shut down, as a result of the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This pandemic and ensuing lockdown forced businesses to shut, daily wage workers to lose their jobs, and resulted in already vulnerable sections of society being pushed deeper into crisis and economic uncertainty, with most not even having access to basic grocery and hygiene
essentials to get by this pandemic, including young vulnerable women, all victims of trafficking.

The Anti-Human Trafficking programme at STCI has continued its support to vulnerable women and survivors of trafficking. The team has so far ensured that the 72 survivors of trafficking received Direct Cash Transfers (twice) as well as Ration kits, to help sustain them during this pandemic. 55 survivors, who could not be reached with grocery kits, were provided with direct cash transfers as well. The team also worked hard on ensuring continued counselling services were provided to over 300 survivors, residing in shelter homes, through virtual platforms. Realizing the need to skill these survivors so that they can achieve financial independence, an Enterprise Development Training programme was conducted, for 2 weeks. The programme worked on teaching the attendees all about micro-enterprises, and the tools they wouldneed to ensure their enterprise stays afloat and is successful. After 2 weeks of training, counselling, orientation and brewing ideas, the girls were provided with seed money of up to Rs. 50,000, to start a venture of their choice. In addition to this, over 400 vulnerable girls from communities identified in Maharashtra underwent virtual skill training sessions, and post certification, they secured employment in a range of sectors such as BPO, E-Commerce and so on.

In the months to come, through generous support from donors like you, we wish to empower these young survivors of trafficking, and ensure their timely rehabilitation.

Shifting to virtual mode or work during the lockdown, all aspects of the Anti-Human Trafficking vertical have adapted to the new methods of working.

Under the Prevention Program, Employability Skills Training Program for women living in slums of Pune has been initiated. This project aims to skill candidates in the age group of 18-30, living in slum areas or belonging to BPL category. 7 centres have been shortlisted across Pune, and aspirant surveys have been initiated. Trainings and placement support will be offered in Retail and Telecom Industry.

In Mumbai, where skills based training was already happening, a successful shift has been made from centre based model to virtual platform. Online batches for training in BPO and Housekeeping in Hospitals has been started. 23 girls have been trained so far, of which 10 girls have been successfully placed and others have been shortlisted. From our previously completed courses of para-nursing and retail 8 and 10 girls have been placed in each sector respectively. Follow ups and tracking of alumni is also being done to provide those with jobs who have lost livelihoods during the lockdown.

Under the Protection Program, while it was not possible to go physically to the shelter homes to offer counselling and trainings, virtual trauma based counselling was initiated with the permission of Department of Women and Child Development, Maharashtra. In the last 2 months, 348 residents have been reached (54 minor boys, 142 minor girls and 152 major women). Sessions were conducted in 19 Protective homes in 11 Districts of Maharashtra. These sessions helped the residents cope with the current situation, manage their emotions and express themselves. Questions related to their rescue, legal process and their cases were also addressed. Survivors who lost their sources of livelihood are also being provided support in finding jobs or setting up their micro-enterprises.

Awareness Programs related to prevention from Corona and Anti-Human Trafficking has been started on Yerla Wani Radio in Satara, Sangli, Kohlapur and Solapur districts of Maharashtra. Apart from this, the team has been providing Covid Relief Support extensively. Grocery kits were provided to 1000 families in Sangli, Satara, Kohlapur, Solapur, Latur, Osmanabad and Nanded District of Maharashtra. Another 840 families from 42 villages of Satara, Sangli, Kohlapur and Solapur were also provided with grocery support. 25 Government shelter homes in Maharashtra were provided with Health and Hygiene products for the survivors residing there. 800 grocery kits and 500 hygiene kits were also provided in Turbhe area of Navi Mumbai.