Rescue trafficked women & children in India

Life has not been easy for 27-year-old Anya. Married at 14, left widowed by HIV at 20, she was left, HIV positive, parenting her young daughter. Thankfully she had some support from her parents, who she lived with, along with her two younger brothers and daughter, now 10. She had a job at a massage center. Little did she know that her life was going to take yet another drastic turn. There was a raid at the massage center one day and Anya, along with others, was taken into custody and placed at the Government Vigilance home.  

The staff got to know Anya, as she diligently attended all the sessions conducted by the caseworker. One of the sessions was an HIV awareness program. There were tears in Anya’s eyes. She was not crying for herself; she was scared that she had not been able to test if her child was positive, the mother was afraid for her daughter. 

Anya was eventually released from the Home and she was able to return to her daughter. She soon reached out to staff workers to say that she had been able to test her daughter and joyously report that the result was negative!  

She needed further help with her daughter’s education and with finding sustainable employment. Your generosity allowed staff workers to help with the educational need of her daughter and is continuing to work along with Anya to equip her to build her tailoring skills. She will soon receive advanced training and the possibility of helping sustain her family. 

Success stories like Anya's would not be possible without your sacrificial gifts. More women and children will be rescued from the trafficking trade because of your generosity!

*Name and photo changed for safety

Rashmi was born in a small village. Raised by her paternal uncle and aunt after the loss of her parents, Rashmi’s childhood was one filled with ill-treatment, hurtful words, overwork and neglect. Her life would be buried in household chores after school, half plate meals, bruises and abuse. 

She would often dream of earning enough money to start a new life away from all this chaos of her childhood. When children would dream of becoming doctor, teacher, Rashmi dreamt of running away to a better life. At this junction, she met with a woman from her village who promised her an astounding new life in Mumbai. With no delay Rashmi jumped at the opportunity and ran away with the woman to Mumbai. 

At Bhiwandi’s red-light area young Rashmi’s fate was sealed, captive behind the brothel walls, abused beyond words, she succumbed to her circumstances. Her captors kept her for a period of three years before allowing her to visit her family. But this freedom for Rashmi was short lived as her money ran out, and with no other means to earn a living she returned back to the flesh trade. 

One fateful afternoon, a worried Rashmi confided in our staff that someone had informed her family about her identity as a commercial sex-worker in Mumbai and Rashmi was scared of the repercussion this revelation would bring. The staff consoled her and suggested exiting the trade to Rashmi, they also assured her they would help her be trained at a life skill and acquire a job. Rashmi couldn’t believe her teenage dream of freedom could be fulfilled 17 years later. With all courage she could muster she decided to trust the staff who was promising her freedom.  

 Rashmi wasn’t betrayed like the first time. Six months later she has enrolled in an English speaking course and undergoing life skills training. Rashmi has embraced her new life and she can’t wait to put her past behind her and move forward. 

Thank you for providing Rashmi the opportunity to escape to a better life, and for continued support for the women left to be rescued.

*Name and photo changed for safety 

Jyoti is a young ambitious woman who had been working hard towards completing her 12th grade so she could continue to pursue her higher education. She had been living in another city and had the opportunity to complete her schooling from a good English medium school there. 

Unexpected circumstances forced her to move to Mumbai and as a result of that transition, she had to drop out of studying and become a year behind in her education.This put her in a stressful situation, as desperation often leads women to the red light districts.

She needed a source of income while she studied and our jewelry-making program was able to give her that option. The first few months in our program were a challenging transition for Jyoti and she struggled to balance her studies and professional training. 

Now, a change in the positive direction is visible in Jyoti’s approach. There’s a proactive approach to her life here that was missing previously. Her attendance has improved and there is a marked increase in her sense of responsibility and engagement which was something she struggled with when she arrived. Previously, she was seemingly apathetic towards herself and work. There’s a marked difference in her attitude to work - she’s very organised, shares her daily goals with the team at the morning assembly and is seen as being very focussed in her tasks. She has taken her studies seriously and we know she’s on the path to a great future. 

We were reminded of that saying, just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly, and we believe Jyoti is well on that journey! 

Your donations are changing the lives of women like Jyoti. Thank you!

*Name and photo changed to protect identity

Dear Friend,

Your gifts are empowering women and children that are at risk of entering the sex trade every day in amazing ways. One way is through a program that teaches women how to make jewelry so they have another way to make an income!

Having lost both her parents when she was very young, and living with her alcohol-dependent grandmother in the margins of Mumbai’s poorest, made Ribika part of a community that's very vulnerable to joining the sex trade.

She needed to work as domestic help in several houses to meet their basic food requirements and started to pitch in with her grandmother’s job of collecting garbage from residential societies and sweeping their compounds. Studying was no longer possible. While the homes she worked in offered to pay her to continue studying, they were unwilling to give her the time she needed to go to school or study.

Another woman who went through the jewelry program met Ribika and suggested she should consider joining. She was so grateful for the idea that she would be able to study and work at the same time - that we encouraged it and made provision for it!

She has been here a couple of months and we can see her determination and commitment to both the work and the pursuit of her education. Everyday she travels a fair distance to attend her classes, and then she takes over an hour-long train ride to the office where she works through the afternoon. She is extremely honest and if there is no class, she is in our office first thing in the morning. Her determination to complete her 10th and work towards the 12th grade while balancing the challenges of life at home is inspiring.

We have been nurturing this determination through our programme and have also helped her with a loan so she can focus on studying without the pressure of where the money for the fees will come. She is doing well in her jewellery making skills too and has moved from an apprentice to artisan trainee.

Not having to choose between her everyday necessities and her desire to learn and grow has helped build her confidence. From a girl who shied away from speaking to people, she is now confident about speaking in groups and sharing her thoughts and opinions. The holistic approach of our programme has, in her own words, given her the opportunity of freedom.

Because of you, entering the red-light district doesn't have to be an option for Ribika! There are many other women in similar situations to Ribika, and I hope you consider continuing to change lives.

Thank you again,

John

*Name and photo changed for safety

The gifts you provide to women rescued from the flesh trade can be seen working in small but very significant ways!

Stuti, one of our newer participants, comes from a traumatic past and currently lives in an after care home. She is quiet and tends to keep to herself. Stemming from the scars of a difficult past, she struggles with any confidence in herself and her ability to make decisions or do things independent of others.

 When she joined the program, it was the first time she was venturing out of the aftercare home and even though her caregivers were convinced the program provided her with the safe space she needed, they were unsure if she could handle the travel on her own (around 30 - 40 minutes). They paired Stuti with another girl so they could be part of the program together.  

The team spent time working with Stuti to get her to think about the steps she could take to start becoming more independent. Through regular encouragements and mentoring, she started to think about the possibility of trying to do things on her own.

 One day her travel partner was unable to make it and Stuti decided, through all the conversations and counselling she had received, that  she would try to make the commute herself. It was the first time she had done it and it opened the door to her belief in herself. She expressed the pride she felt in having accomplished this on her own - something that she watched her peers do with ease but that she couldn’t imagine doing herself.

Because of your generosity, a shift in Stuti's thinking has occured! A commute may seem like a small step, but for women who have been rescued from trafficking, independence can be an intimidating goal. 

Again, thank you for allowing women like Stuti to work towards her goal of total freedom!

*Name and photo changed to protect identity