Made By Survivors Jewelry Centers - Training

Made By Survivors Jewelry Centers in Mumbai and Calcutta have been extremely successful in providing job skills and a sustainable income, and also in raising the status of women. Currently the Made By Survivors programs are operated at a partner agency’s aftercare shelters.   Over the next year we expect to see the expansion of 2 existing shelters and into another country.

Calcutta - In Calcutta, Made By Survivors will open an independent center in which survivors from the existing program, as well as survivors from 10 different shelter programs in the city would receive training and long-term employment.  This is the next step towards independent living for the survivors – to go to work and interact with others. The Global Seva Challenge is helping to raise the money to secure a building for the expansion.

Mumbai – In partnership with the Rescue Foundation we will be expanding to two centers in the Mumbai area, one in the city and another located in Bosiar.  This will increase our space for production and increase our capacity to train and employ more survivors. 

Bangladesh – Many girls from the Mumbai Jewelry Center have been repatriated back to Bangladesh.  Bangladesh lacks the infrastructure to provide survivors with the employment to keep them safe from further exploitation.  These survivors were successful jewelers at the MBS Center and we want to make sure that these girls have access to fair and safe employment and even the opportunity to begin their own businesses.  We are currently searching for a NGO that will allow us space to establish a work center for the repatriated girls.  During the process we will provide the repatriated survivors with metals and tools to continue making pieces for the MBS line and receive payment for their work.

Thank you for supporting survivors of human trafficking through Made By Survivors fair and dignified employment initiatives.  Your support allows us to train and hire more and more survivors of sex slavery, exploitation, and other horrific abuses.  Please visit our website to see the beautiful artistry of the girls at the Made By Survivors Jewelry Centers.  

Made By Survivors now has 3 Jewelry Centers in India!  

In April, the 3rd center opened in Jalpaiguri.  Staff have been interviewing survivors at the Women's Interlink Foundation shelter for artisan goldsmith training.  Jewelry designer, Nancy, began training the Jalpaiguri survivors in May.  It has been exciting as staff and the survivors prepare for new jewelry center.  Read more here.

Plans are also under way to establish a jewelry center in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Many of the survivors residing in India were trafficked from Bangladesh.  The Indian government repatriates them back to Bangladesh.  Many of the girls who have been trained and employed at the MBS Jewelry Centers in India have been repatriated to Bangladesh, but are at risk for further exploitation because there are no resources in Bangladesh to employ them as artisan goldsmiths.  MBS staff will be heading to Bangladesh in August to meet with potential partners.

Currently in Kolkata the MBS Jewelry Center is housed in the Women's Interlink Foundation.  There are plans being discussed to rent our own facility, so that we can employ survivors from shelters all over the city.  

Thank you so much for supporting the economic empowerment of survivors of human trafficking through Made By Survivors.  Our top priority is to help as many survivors as possible secure financial independence and be slavery-proof!