Combating Human Trafficking

Rehabilitation of Sex Workers

Project Udaan is an initiative to rescue and rehabilitate sex workers, current child sex workers and at-risk children from these brothels in Kolkata, India.

The Challenge

The Largest Red Light Areas in Asia: Sonagachi is Asia’s largest brothel and red light area set up by the British in Kolkata, India. It is an area with several hundred multi-story brothels with an estimated 11,000 sex workers who have been trapped in the cycle for generations. Kalighat in Kolkata is the second largest area of commercial prostitution and is home to sex workers from India, Nepal and Bangladesh. There are other areas in Kolkata where the trade is rampant.

Mafia control: The area and its activities are set up within a nexus of the mafia, making it a challenge to change the situation. The sensitive situation deterred the local groups from taking up the project, due to which OVBI stepped in.

Generations are trapped in the vicious cycle: The profession became an inevitable choice for little children and young girls. Not only were the latter forced into the flesh trade but children also had no other alternative than to be in the system with little or no amenities.

Strategy

Giving them a safe residence: We build residential schools away from the brothels where rescued child sex workers and at-risk children, receive free food, shelter, clothing, medical help, education, vocational training and most importantly, hope. We have already raised approximately $1 Million and built a hostel for rehabilitation. By setting up a “Safe Home” we hope to set an example to encourage other NGOs to take up this cause and help us reach the remaining 1.2 million children in this situation, across India.

Creating social leadership: The focus is to groom the affected groups to become leaders of social change by enabling social leadership among sex workers and youth.

Better amenities: To provide better health and hygiene practices to help with the outbreak of diseases in the area and to provide better educational facilities and counseling to children to reduce the number of school dropouts.

De-traumatizing the affected groups: Special programs have been conducted for the mothers and children through the Art of Living, to equip them mentally, physically and emotionally for sustainable behavior transformation.

Create a nurturing environment for children to enable all-around development:

Vocational training centers, that implement service-based activities in the curriculum, to increase the leadership skills and self-worth of the children.

Art of Living courses as part of the curriculum to create an enabling environment for children.

Bal Chetana Shibirs, which have been customized especially for the all-around personality development of the children. These Shibirs help restore the joys of childhood, innocence, and confidence amongst the children.

ART Excel Courses for children aged between 8 and 13 years, to help them gain good personal skills and nurture their best natural potential. ART Excel students learn life skills, yoga and breathing processes that help eliminate fear and anxiety. It includes techniques that enhance focus and concentration, simple meditation and relaxation techniques, skills in friendship, leadership and teamwork.

Empowerment programs for the older girl child to create a workforce that will undertake initiatives at the community level to identify and resolve issues, leading to improved living conditions. The programs also nurture and groom social leadership amongst them. The participants are also given a wide spectrum of in-depth training with regard to their physical, mental and emotional development to help with any challenging situation they may face.

Vocational training centers, that implement service-based activities in the curriculum, to increase the leadership skills and self-worth of the children.

Art of Living courses as part of the curriculum to create an enabling environment for children.
Bal Chetana Shibirs, which have been customized especially for the all-around personality development of the children. These Shibirs help restore the joys of childhood, innocence, and confidence amongst the children.

ART Excel Courses for children aged between 8 and 13 years, to help them gain good personal skills and nurture their best natural potential. ART Excel students learn life skills, yoga and breathing processes that help eliminate fear and anxiety. It includes techniques that enhance focus and concentration, simple meditation and relaxation techniques, skills in friendship, leadership and teamwork.

Empowerment programs for the older girl child to create a workforce that will undertake initiatives at the community level to identify and resolve issues, leading to improved living conditions. The programs also nurture and groom social leadership amongst them. The participants are also given a wide spectrum of in-depth training with regard to their physical, mental and emotional development to help with any challenging situation they may face.

GUIDESTAR