Preventing Inter-Generational Prostitution

Corona Virus

Due to the ongoing crisis of Covid-19 pandemic and its repercussions, the community has been hit hard. The children are not being able to go to school as the primary schools are shut down, following government regulations. The women of the community have to keep earning their daily wage. Apne Aap team members have also not been able to work in the field and conduct more sessions and workshops. Many of them use public transportation and travel from afar and availing public transport is not safe currently as per government health regulations. 

In this crucial time, the team members have been able to put together a basic care package for every girl so that they can continue learning and also stay safe. A kit comprising of a few basic books on Math, English, Hindi and Social sciences, a hand sanitizer, a face respiratory mask, medicines for cold such as paracetamol,  dry food, rice and lentils have been organized. 

The basic care package for every girl is budgeted to be 25 US dollars on an average, taking into account the logistics of transporting them and other delivery costs. 

“We want the education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet”- Swami Vivekananda.

Menstrual Health Workshop & Distributing Sanitary Napkins

Apne Aap members conducted the workshop on menstrual health of girls and women in Dharampura in Najafgarh. The unavailability of toilets in many households and lack of financial resources push these girls and women in the community to adopt the harmful practices leading to various infections. Apne Aap discussed how they can have safe periods and also distributed sanitary napkins to the participants. This workshop took place on the 71st Republic Day of India, 26th Jan 2020.

Art Workshop

At this workshop, Apne Aap members handed a sheet of paper and asked girls to draw and decorate using the food we eat and other kitchen items. The girls made a school, home, teacher, flower, tree etc. The drawing session was conducted with the purpose of creating art with available materials and the food we eat.

'What's done to children, they will do it to society'- Karl Menninger.

Apne Aap girls meet Queen of Sweden in New Delhi

Apne Aap sponsors eight children at a residential hostel in Delhi which acts as a safe space for the children. In addition, children are also able to access quality education and nutritional support at the hostel. They come from communities practicing inter-generational prostitution.The four apne aap girls met Queen of Sweden and discussed the challenges the girls face in their community and also shared the dreams of brighter future and dignified life. 

Road to a better life: Admission to the hostel

A fourteen year old girl along with her two younger brothers from the Nat community in Bihar practicing inter-generational prostitution were admitted to the residential hostel in Delhi to protect them from trafficking and prostitution.

Menstrual Health Workshop & Distributing Sanitary Napkins

Apne Aap members conducted the workshop on menstrual health of girls and women in Dharampura in Najafgarh. The unavailability of toilets in many households and lack of financial resources push these girls and women in the community to adopt the harmful practices leading to various infections. Apne Aap discussed how they can have safe periods and also distributed sanitary napkins to the participants.

Art Resilience Workshop

Apne Aap organized an art therapy workshop for the girls in the primary school so they could express themselves freely. We asked them to just use pencil on the first sheet and to use colors on the second and then in the second part we discussed the drawings made by the girls.

Community Classroom

Apne Aap organize an evening classes to help school going children with the home work and drop out children to continue learning the basics of the subjects like English, Hindi, Maths, Social Sciences etc in the communities trapped in inter-generational prostitution and are at high risk of trafficking. 

Session on Gender Stereotypes of Occupations

Apne Aap organised a session on gender stereotypes of occupations in MCD Primary School with hundred girls. At the workshop, the girls were asked to draw painters, lawyers,  doctors, teachers, driver, carpenter, engineer, etc. The images were exactly what has been taught since ages; i.e; the teachers were drawn as women, lawyers as men, carpenter as men etc. Later, we discussed with the young girls how a man can also choose to be a teacher and woman can choose to be a lawyer. Occupations are not restricted to gender, it is the practice of decades that has created these myths. 

Session on Eradicating Child Sexual Abuse

The session on Eradicating Child Sexual Abuse was organized at the MCD Primary school where hundred and twenty girls participated in the workshop. The girls were shown short clips based on child exploitation and were discussed the safe and unsafe touch.  Through these workshops, we also build up confidence among girls to immediately reach out to family members or teachers at the school.

Open Mic Session on International Literacy Day

On 8 September, International Literacy Day, we organised an open mic session at the school with the girls. We discussed how the day is celebrated globally and the importance of education. The girls at the school come from marginalised and isolated communities where spending time in school is considered as waste.We encouraged them to study and dream and also help other girls in the community who have not seen the school gates yet. 

Art Workshop: Coloring the mountains 

When everyone globally is talking about the climate change, we organised an art workshop on the theme coloring the mountains, where we handed a sheet of paper and poster colors to the girls at the school and asked them to draw and color the mountains. Later we discussed how our environment is being destroyed and the urgent measures needed to correct the damange.

Art Workshop: Using the food we eat

At this workshop, we handed a sheet of paper and asked girls to draw and decorate using the food we eat and other kitchen items. The girls made school, home, teacher, flower, tree etc. 

Community Classes

The community classes are held in the evenings for school-going and drop-out children. Apne Aap members help the children finish their homework and teach the drop-out children basic English, Hindi, and Maths.

Session on Child Sexual Abuse

This workshop was organized in MCD Primary school where a hundred girls participated from the fifth standard. It is important to discuss good and bad touch with the children so they could be safe and could reach out to us if something goes wrong. Through these workshops, we make them understand about safe and unsafe touch; and that they are not wrong. Also, we try to fill them with confidence to immediately reach out to family members or teachers at school.

Session on Life Cycle of a Butterfly

This session was organized in the community in Dharampura where fifty children participated from the de-notified caste communities. In this workshop, we taught children the life cycle of a butterfly. The different stages from egg to larva to pupa to adult butterfly. We used pictures, flash cards and colors. After the session, all the children were provided with the life cycle printed on the sheets for coloring. 

Art Workshop on the theme ‘ My Community’

This workshop was organized in the community in Dharampura where seventy children participated. At the art workshop, we asked the children to draw their own community. The paintings witnessed men enjoying hookah and playing cards; and piles of garbage at every corner in the community.

Session on a monument: Humayun Tomb

This workshop was organized in the community in Dharampura with twenty-five children. We shared the history of the Humayun Tomb with them. We also talked about the other monuments made by the same ruler. 

Community Classes

The community classes are held in the evenings for school-going and drop-out children. Apne Aap members help the children finish their homework and teach the drop-out children basic English, Hindi, and Maths.

A short report on the Field Intervention work carried out by Apne Aap (in the month of January, February & March 2019) with De-notified caste communities in Najafgarh, Delhi. 

Milk Distribution:

On New Year, Apne Aap distributed milk bottles to all the women and children from the three De-notified caste communities namely Perna, Sapera and Singhi and simultaneously had an open mic session on the importance of good health, especially for a female body as they go through a menstrual cycle every month and give birth to a new life.

Art Class:

Apne Aap organizes an art workshop every month as a form of therapy for the women and girls trapped in inter-generational prostitution and are at high risk of prostitution and trafficking. These workshops help them to recover from the trauma of their daily life.

Craft Workshop:

Craft workshop not only acts as a therapy to the women and girls in the red-light areas but also gets added as a skill. The young girls are provided with regular craft classes which helps them build confidence and could also be taken as a livelihood source.

Open Mic Session:

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we discussed the role women play in the development of a society and simultaneously distributed Red Roses as a part of the Red Rose Campaign in the community.

Yoga Session:

Yoga plays an important role in human lives. Apne Aap regularly organizes a yoga session at the school and in the community which helps women and girls both at the physical and mental level.