Deepti: a step away from Udaan shelter

In the month of septiembre 2022 we told you the situation of Deepti. A 25-year-old woman with twin children whom we rescued from a massage center in Virar (west) where she was forced into prostitution. After her rescue, Deepti entered a public center with her children to be able to recover physically and mentally from everything that happened.
A few weeks later, she began to participate in the occupational workshop that we organized for women victims and survivors of trafficking, whose objective was to make the handmade roses that we offer every year on the occasion of Sant Jordi, on April 23.

During the workshops, Deepti expressed on several occasions her desire to enter our Udaan foster home so that she could focus on rebuilding her life and that of her children and forging a future for herself, and offering opportunities to her greatest treasure. After months of negotiations, we have managed to get the authorities to agree to this change and we hope that in a few weeks Deepti will be able to move to Udaan.

We always insist on the value of the roses that we offer you to commemorate this day that celebrates love in all its forms. Legend has it that the Sant Jordi rose sprouted from the blood of a dragon. We all know the legend of Sant Jordi and his dragon well. The dragon we fight against in Mumbai Smiles is that of trafficking and sexual exploitation. So ours are born from the effort and courage of survivors, who with help can recover their lives, like Deepti.

 This year, under the slogan “Give more than love”, buy one of our roses and give hope, support, life and opportunities to more women like Deepti who also deserve to be freed from the chains of trafficking. You can buy our roses at the Mumbai Smiles online store or on April 23 at one of these points in Barcelona, Girona, Reus, Ribes de Freser, Ripoll, Tarragona or Vilanova i la Geltrú.

Soon we hope to be able to tell you about Deepti’s arrival at our shelter for survivors of trafficking. In the meantime you can support our cause by celebrating this beautiful day with Mumbai Smiles.