![Elimination of Racial Discrimination]()
Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Grassroots Work- Delhi
January 2017
Ceramic Workshop
Location- Community, Dharampura
Participants- 5 women and 4 Girls
Duration- 2 weeks
Details- The ceramic workshop was organised in the community, where women and girls in prostitution and at risk of high prostitution participated in this two week training.
The workshop was conducted regularly from 11 am till 4: 30 pm.
Ms Anupama Nagaraj from New York taught our women and girls how to use the clay to make beautiful art pieces. She also guided them on the usage of various ceramic tools. This workshop was organised as art therapy and an important livelihood skill.
The women and girls initially were little hesitant to dirty their hands in the clay. But once they started to work on clay with their hands they started enjoying. They learnt how much moisture should the clay have so as the art pieces do not break down.
Manshi who belongs to sapera caste (snake charmers) have three children. She used to complete all her household chores , prepare lunch for the family and would quickly reach to the terrace where the workshop took place. She would reach and start to kneed the clay using sufficient water in order to make sustainable ceramic items.
Not only Manshi, but in fact all other participants seemed very enthusiastic about this workshop.
After the ceramic items were ready in the community, Ms Anupama fired and glazed it at one of the clay company. And soon the art pieces were ready to be decorated anywhere from house to school to office.
During the World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Women & Girls, organised by Apne Aap and CAP International, the ceramic items were put on exhibition which attracted many national and international people from many countries.
Focus Areas
v Art Therapy
v Livelihood Skill
v Confidence Building
v Creativity
v Peace Culture
Story Telling Workshop
Location- Community, Dharampura
Participants- 55 Children
Details- The story telling workshop was organised for the children in community after the school hours. The aim was to enhance the creativity and thinking process among children
The workshop was taken by Ms Richa Rudola who is a documentary producer and works for American Express and Nivedita who too works for an American Company as a software enggineer.
The workshop was a 3 hours session where Richa and Nivedita shared many inspiring stories with the children in community.
Ms Richa Rudola also bought two books – Little Humans of New York and one story book. These books carried multiple pictures of small children, talking about their dreams and aspirations. Also,their achievements. The books were enjoyed by all the children and we observed a motivation in them to dream and achieve it.
Richa also shared her daily routine with the children, encouraging them to read.
As the session was coming to an end, the kids were ready with their own short story which was read out by the elder girl.
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Focus Areas :
v Reading
v Team Work
v Thinking Process
v Motivation
v Confidence
v Motivation
Opportunities On Way
Location- India International Centre, New Delhi
Participants- 2 women, a Girl and a Boy
Details- Apne Aap Women Worldwide in collaboration with CAP International organised a World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Women & Girls from 29- 31 Jan 2017 at the India International Centre. This World Congress recorded the presence of Hollywood actress Ashley Judd, many survivors, trade unionist, MPs, Ngo representatives and youth activists.
This world congress was attended by 4 people from Delhi field area, two women from Perna Caste who are into inter-generational prostitution, a girl from Sapera caste who is at high risk of prostitution and a boy from sapera caste who plays drums at weddings.
On the first day, Sapera boy who continue his caste based occupation and earns livelihood by snake charming or playing drums at the wedding also performed. The world congress started with the drum being played by the boy. This opportunity not only represented him and his community on the global platform, but also boosted his confidence.
The women who heard the survivors story in this conference were moved at their courage to come forward and speak. The two women are trapped into inter-generational prostitution and unfortunately are not able to come out of it.
The women who heard the survivors were encouraged a lot. Later, on of them asked us “Wasn’t Fatima Khatoon scared of the society or being killed when she started to fight against the traffickers?”
Fatima Khatoon is a survivor and works at Apne Aap centre in Bihar. She belongs to Nat community who prostitute their own daughters. Fatima Khatoon not only fought with her own traffickers but also saved many girls from being trafficked. She had also stood in elections to which she says laughing “ I knew I won’t win because no men will vote for me”. She also said, “People call me a terrorist” .
While speaking for the last girl at World Congress, Fatima sadly says “ They (men) extend their hands but not to protect us...........” and she goes silent.
Attending the world congress filled our women and girl with confidence to fight for their rights. They were motivated to speak for wrong being done not only to them but also for others around them. Our young sapera boy too understood this important issue while attending the world congress.
Focus Area :
v Learning
v Confidence
v Motivation
v Exposure
Woman from Sapera Caste starts Education Again
Location- Community, Dharampura
Details- Deepmala is a 24 year old female who belongs to Sapera caste.
Deepmala wanted to study but girls in this community do not go to school instead are expected to do all household chores and support her father or husband.
She was married at very early age despite her resistance. She was married and started living with her husband at her in-laws house. After few years, at the time of her second pregnancy, her husband left her and she was forced to return to her mother’s house back.
While she was living with her husband, Deepmala used to see young girls going to school on the streets and wished if she could again go to school again.
When she returned to her mother’s house after separation, she was in highly depressed condition, not able to understand how to make a living. She needed to earn, not only for herself but also for her children, one who is already there and the other who was supposed to come soon. She has studied till 10th Standard before marriage. But she knew nobody would give her job with the little education.
When she shared her problems related to livelihood with apne aap team, they started to explore earning options for Deepmala and other women in the community. In few months, apne aap was able to provide livelihood linkages in the community which benefitted many women and girls. Deepmala earns now and is well able to support her children in a better manner.
With the livelihood, Deepmala had confidence in herself. While sitting one day with apne aap staff member, Deepmala shared her dream to study, apne aap was glad to hear this news and immediately enrolled her for 12th standard through distance education.
Reecently, when apne aap team visited to meet her, she hugged and happily said “Didi, I have received my books. I will study all subjects on my own but you have to teach me English. I am weak at this subject.”
Deepmala has been an inspiration for other girls and women in the community who feels that women have no life after she gets married. There is no need for her to gain education and life skills. In the end, she just have to keep her husband, in-laws and children happy. Deepmala has changed the perspective of many people by being a role model.
Focus Areas:
v Education
v Life skills/Livelihood
v Inspiration
v Confidence
February 2017
Open Mike Session by Prostitution survivors, Ngo Representatives and Youth Activists
Location- MCD Primary school, Old Roshanpura
Participants- 100 Girls
Classes- 5th Standard
Details- During the World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Women & Girls, we had many survivors, legislators, civil society representatives, activists, lawyers, MPs and youth activists from various countries.
On the first day after the world congress, apne aap had organised two days field trip. On the first day, a group of survivors, NGO representatives and youth activists visited apne aap field in Najafgarh.
We took the group to our adopted primary level school where they interacted with around 100 girls from 5th grade.
The group talked to them on various issues like education, marriage, child rights etc.
Shanie Roy, a young survivor of prostitution and activist spoke about worker rights to the young girls.
Namrata Sharma, journalist by profession, talked to the girls on the importance of education, encouraging them to study. She said “As a child, your right is to study”. She encouraged young girls to dream and fulfil that dream through their hard work.
Raphaelle Remy, a youth activist, indulged in a healthy conversation with the little girls telling them importance of being together and standing for their rights.
The visiting group was provided with a small token of appreciation, made by apne aap girls. The girls had made paper bag, greeting card, snail and a pair of slippers for all the guests, which was given to the group by the school principal.
Apne aap team, next, took the group to the residential boarding school, where four girls from Perna and Sapera study. These girls were at the verge of getting trafficked and that time, apne aap immediately enrolled the girls to the residential school. The girls study and live there. They come to the community only for festivals or winter/summer break.
The group was glad to see the facilities and quality of education provided to these young girls. The girls were seen very comfortable while interacting with the group in English and French. Also, the girls showed them their classrooms and hostel rooms.
This visit filled our girls with immense confidence. They were highly motivated after meeting with the survivors, youth activists and NGO representatives.
Focus Areas :
v Confidence
v Exposure
v Learning
v Motivation
Open Mike Session by MPs and NGO Representatives
Location- MCD Primary school, Old Roshanpura
Participants- 150 Girls and 15 women
Details- During the World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Women & Girls, we had many legislators and trade unionist too.
On the second day of field trip, we took French MP Catherine Coutelle, Indian MP Meenakshi Natarjan, Apne Aap Founder Ruchira Gupta, Apne Aap Director Tinku Khanna, Doctor Imogen, CAP International team, Apne Aap team and other NGO representatives to our field in Najafgarh area.
Firstly, we took the group of 17 people to the primary level school where the group was welcomed in Indian Traditional way with rangoli, red colour on forehead and flowers by the girls, principal and teachers.
The visiting group interacted with the young girls who were indulged in colours during their art session. Few people also got their hands coloured by the girls during this healthy interaction.
Next, the group visited to the children who were sitting quietly for the open mike session to start. The group of children greeted the visiting group and sang national song- Vande Mataram. After the national song, apne aap founder Ruchira Gupta started the open mike session and introduced MPs and other representative.
Ruchira Gupta while introducing French MP Catherine Coutelle and Indian MP Meenakshi Natarajan, asked young girls if anyone wants to be MP, to which only two girls raised their hands. The reason was that the girls could not imagine themselves holding such a powerful position in future. Ruchira encouraged and told them to dream and said “You too can be MP. You too can take decisions. You too can go to Parliament. Being a girl does not mean, you can’t be a minister. You can become President, Prime Minister, doctor, lawyer, anyone. Just you have to study”.
Few girls sang songs dedicated to daughters, other few danced. The teachers too sang a bhajan for the group.
Ms. Catherine and Ms. Natarajan talked on the importance of education. They asked what the young girls would like to become in future and what are they doing to achieve that dream.
Our school principal, Shakuntla ji, provided a small of token of appreciation to the group made by apne aap girls, carrying handmade paper bags, greeting card, snail and a pair of Gandhi ji slippers.
Seeing the slippers, Ruchira also talked about Gandhi ji and his ideas with the girls.
Secondly, we took the group to the community where our community leader was waiting. Our community leader met everyone and started to show them community. She also took the group to her house where Ruchira informed the group how actively Rita( name changed) fought with the Panchayat to save her daughter from being prostituted. Rita’s daughter was forced by her in-laws to carry out their caste based occupation of prostitution. It was the first time when a male dominated Panchayat gave their decision in favour of a female. Ruchira talked about Rita’s courage and how she is inspiring other women in community to fight against this tradition of inter-generational prostitution.
The visiting group also interacted with the other women and girls from Perna and Sapera in the community.
Focus Areas:
v Learning
v&nb![Storytelling Workshop]()
Storytelling Workshop
![Ceramic Workshop]()
Ceramic Workshop
![French MP Catherine Coutelle Visit]()
French MP Catherine Coutelle Visit
![UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Ashley Judd Visit]()
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador Ashley Judd Visit
![Craft Class]()
Craft Class
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