INdia
“...fourth largest number of trafficked persons in the world.”
PROJECT OVERVIEW
With 18 of the 50 million people in slavery worldwide being from India alone (Global Slavery Index 2016), we focus our programs in prevention, rescue, and restoration in this corner of the globe. We work in an area infamous for sex trafficking and child trafficking. Our team runs before and after school programs that focus on sports, mentoring, and academic assistance. In conjunction with this, we also run regular sports camps where young boys from vulnerable backgrounds come together to play sport, learn, and are encouraged to build a positive future for themselves. We also run safe homes for young women and young men, pre-school classes for young children, and offer other assistance to people in need.
You can read about one of our trips to India in our blog.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
More than 60 women and children rescued from exploitation/sex trafficking
Over 850 students educated about human trafficking and child protection
1200 boys in our sports and mentoring program in 11 vulnerable communities
1,858 families supported during Covid-19 lockdown with dry ratios
Over 2400 house visits in 8 communities
800+ students receive tuition support
90 boys assisted in finding suitable and safe employment
12 women and 4 children in the safe house
Heart of Baking providing employment for women in our safe house
Impact story (Trafficking rescue)
In January 2017, The Freedom Project India (TFPI) received information that several women were being forced into sexual exploitation at three different establishments within the same vicinity. The team spent time planning the rescue of these women, in cooperation with local authorities. The team hit the first two target locations and successfully rescued 15 women. However, at the third location not a single victim was found, and we suspected there may have been a tip-off.
After confirmation from the informer that it was the correct location, the team continued searching, and on closer inspection, a team member noticed a hidden door that led to a secret passage. In this secret passage was an adjacent room where 11 women were hiding, huddled together. The team was able to rescue them too. In total, a record number of 26 women were rescued. They had all been victims of commercial sexual exploitation. At last report, the women were residing in various shelter homes where they will be rehabilitated.
Impact Story (Soccer stars)
David*, aged 13, is from an underprivileged community in Bangalore. With an alcoholic father and a hardworking mother trying to keep the family afloat, the extra burden of trying to pay for school fees was too great. David decided education was not for him and he dropped out. He then got caught up with other local dropouts – many of whom were addicted to smoking, drinking, and often exploited vulnerable children to support their habits. Two years in this environment was enough to allow David, at 15 years old, to slip into alcohol and smoking addictions. To support his habit, he also began to resort to petty theft. It was a messy, downward spiral.
Recently, one of our soccer coaches was on a routine house visit near where David lived. Running into him nearby, the coach introduced David to our soccer program, and he started coming along. Through ongoing soccer training, as well as life skills classes and personal mentoring, David began to recover from his addictions. Not long after, David also re-enrolled in a local school, as schooling is a compulsory aspect of being in our sports program.
Our sports program is a daily soccer and mentoring course that provides young boys with a safe environment to train, learn new skills, make new friends, and turn their life around. We seek to provide new opportunities for these students, while keeping them in school, out of trouble, and looking to a brighter future. Sometimes this may include professional soccer playing or coaching, while other times it may involve further study, skills training, and suitable job placement. Alongside this program, students are invested in, given positive role models to mentor them, and are educated about the risks and reality of slavery and exploitation. We are also involved in wider education in the community with stakeholders including police, schools, and other community organisations.
Today, David is in Grade 8 at school and doing much better in his studies. When we met his mother on a home visit recently, she exclaimed with tears:
“I had decided to commit suicide because of the situation with my husband and son. Today, David is a changed boy and regular at school. I am a happy mother!”
David is just one of hundreds that are transformed through our Sports and Mentoring program in India. For just $20 a month, you can keep a child like David in our program. Join now.
*Name has been changed.