ABOUT US
ORGANISATION
The Foundation works hand in hand with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in Nepal, Bangladesh, India and also in Spain. These projects allow the communities that lead them to achieve sustainable changes. More than 15,000 people have already benefited from these actions in cooperation and social action projects, and more than 25,000 have been added during specific emergency and humanitarian aid actions.
With the aim of addressing the social problem of trafficking, from supporting its victims and survivors, through prevention, rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration, the Foundation works together with them, so that they can achieve a dignified, free life with opportunities for the future.
MISSION
Transform the reality of people vulnerable to trafficking, as well as their families, to promote the empowerment of communities, thus achieving sustainable changes.
VISION
A world free of poverty in which all people enjoy freedom, Human Rights and a dignified life.
VALUES
JUSTICE
Our development work is aimed at promoting fair access to opportunities and the full exercise of Universal human freedom.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
We respect human diversity in all its forms, regardless of origin, nationality, caste, age, political or sexual orientation, religion or gender.
TRANSPARENCY
We manage our resources rigorously, relying on transparency and accountability towards our partners, collaborators, donors, beneficiaries, and society in general.
CONSISTENCY
Our work is based on doing what we believe and say, being faithful to the achievement of our Mission and Vision. Our work speaks for itself.
PRINCIPLES OF ACTION
COMMITMENT
Committed to our Mission, we take the responsibility of working towards its achievement.
UNITY
We intend to join efforts promoting teamwork and collaboration with other organisations and institutions to enhance synergies and improve the performance of our work.
PARTICIPATION
To induce a real social transformation, we promote participatory mechanisms, integrating the implementation of the projects with all stakeholders.
ENTHUSIASM
Motivated by the results of our efforts, we carry our work with hope, enthusiasm, passion and interest.
WHERE WE WORK
A few years ago, at Mumbai Smiles we understood that human trafficking knows no borders. After a long time working in Mumbai, we realised that many of the victims of trafficking were from neighbouring countries such as Nepal or Bangladesh and that is why we extended our work to other areas, to prevent the problem of human trafficking from the source.
One of our areas of action in the fight against trafficking is South Asia, where we promote projects in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Many of our actions are still in Mumbai, a city where we work with local communities in the prevention, intervention and rehabilitation of human trafficking. From Nepal and Bangladesh we work to prevent and avoid trafficking, raising awareness in communities and strengthening people in the most vulnerable situation, potential victims of this problem.
The other focus of the foundation’s work is Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal, where we promote a project to prevent human trafficking and accompany victims who are in our country from South Asia.
Bombay tiene una población de casi 22 millones de personas (según “World Population Prospects – United Nations, 2014”) y aproximadamente el 60% vive en slums (según “Harvard South Asian Institute, 2015”) con poco o ningún acceso a servicios y derechos fundamentales como la educación, la vivienda o la salud. La pobreza y la desigualdad tan fieras y extremas, pueden llegar a parecer una ecuación irresoluble.
Aproximadamente 400 millones de personas viven en la India con menos de 1,25$ al día, según el Informe 2014 de los ODM. Aún así el país cuenta con una Constitución ampliamente progresista que defiende la lucha contra la discriminación y promueve el respeto de los derechos de los más vulnerables. Pero la realidad de millones de personas, que ven a diario vulnerados sus derechos y que carecen de oportunidades, pone de manifiesto como fallan estos principios a la práctica.
En definitiva la fundación se enfrenta a la contradicción de un país que, a pesar de contar con una estructura que promueve la igualdad y la no discriminación y que genera oportunidades, alberga en una ciudad como Bombay a más de 13 millones de personas en situación de pobreza y exclusión.
HISTORY
Mumbai Smiles was founded in 2005 by the journalist and writer Jaume Sanllorente, after learning, on a holiday, the situation of an orphanage in Mumbai with serious financial problems. The closure of the orphanage would have forced more than 40 boys and girls to live on street with the certainty of them ending up as victims of Human trafficking and exploitation networks.
With the commitment to resolve this situation, he began what he calls a “peaceful fight against poverty, a struggle that nowadays has been endorsed by a growing team of people dedicated professionally, voluntarily or as partners and collaborating partners and donors to this project for the protection of Human Rights.
This commitment to the most disadvantaged communities has involved a transformation process in favour of the sustainability not only of the areas in which it works but also of the actions promoted. In 2018, the foundation decided to focus an important part of its efforts in the Kamathipura neighbourhood, the red light area of Mumbai and one of the main prostitution areas in all of Asia. This commitment has led Mumbai Smiles to focus its actions on the fight against Human trafficking and to expand its radius of activity to other areas of India such as, Nepal and Bangladesh, with the aim of promoting the eradication of Human trafficking through prevention, rescue and rehabilitation, to support people who suffer the consequences.
In 2020 the organisation took the legacy of the JAL association, the Leprosy Action Board, and its projects in South India. As a result of this merger with the organisation, led by Dr. Montse Pérez, a dermatologist and marathoner for more than 55 years, we will continue increasing efforts that will allow us to continue transforming futures.
During these years the NGO has received awards such as the 4th Edition Tarannà Responsible Award; the DKV Seguros Medicine and Solidarity Award (2nd Edition); the Blas Infante Award, Casares Solidario, 12th Edition; the Engaged Optimists Award from the magazine “Anoche tuve un sueño” (1st Edition); the Cuida de Ti Award from MIA and Garnier (ex aequeo, 3rd Eition); the Award for Coexistence of the Autonomous City of Ceuta; the Blogs Cataluña Award in its 2nd Edition; the T de Telva Award for Solidarity; the Natura Prize; the 13th Tierno Galvánam Award for Solidarity and Human Values, and the 2007 Axuda Award.
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