Udaan: a home of the human trafficking survivors

A few days ago we have shared the news of the first anniversary of our Udaan shelter home with you all. It was the same day on which we celebrated Diwali festival. It was an emotional tribute, with full of light and enthusiasm which brought together a good part of our team and the women of the house who organized it with great joy.

Today we want to review how this first year of work has been and emphasize the main challenges and achievements that we have achieved. If we look back, it is inevitable to remember all the previous activity. On the one hand, establishing networks of trust with women victims of human trafficking, an activity that does not stop. And on the other hand, the necessary tasks to prepare what we wanted to be a home for these women. A year later, we think we have succeeded, but there is still a long way to go.

After 365 days of work, after identifying cases and as we said, building relationships of trust, there are currently six women in the house and three children. Getting here has not been so easy, as these women carry deep physical and mental wounds on their backs, as well as health problems (addictions, aftereffects etc.). In this sense, many have managed with our support, but undoubtedly with their effort and determination, to move forward and break the chains of trafficking in its most global sense. But some of the people we have and are working with have not been able to take this step. Therefore, we are so happy to have the current members of the house. With them and with their sons and daughters, since being able to extend this support network to their families is one of our main objectives, to prevent them from being potential victims of human trafficking and suffering the same fate as their mothers. Offering them an education and a healthy life are preconditions for this to happen.

At Udaan we work with a holistic perspective. We accompany them, thanks to the support of partners and collaborating partners and donors. On the one hand, we attend to their most basic needs: accommodation, food, clothing, etc. But it is also essential to ensure their physical and mental health. In this sense, we offer them medical attention to evaluate their condition and to be able to treat those aspects that are necessary in each case. At the same time we carry out different types of activities such as yoga and therapies that help them to gradually heal their wounds. It is essential that they feel calmer and confident in themselves and in the environment. The therapy sessions are organized a group and individual basis.

In short, we work to ensure that they live relaxed and without fear, so that from there we can address other aspects such as training, which will help them in the future to have a decent job and be independent. For this we offer training in different disciplines: sewing; beauty, crafts, etc. It is also essential to open your life to spaces that were previously very distant: leisure, fun, the feeling of community, etc. Awaken in them a series of emotions that are necessary for them to live a complete life and for them to develop their capacities to the maximum and build healthy relationships with their environment. In those cases it is necessary that we also advise them at the legal level so that they can have different aspects of their life in order. We try to offer information on all those issues, which can make them develop their life with the maximum of tools and skills: human trafficking; environment; the current situation; the pandemic; are some of the issues that we approach from different points to gradually expand its universe.

We are very aware of everything these women have gone through, the pain and fear they have gone through, so we highly value each and every step they take. We know that it is not easy and that is why we will continue to give them our full support and we hope that in time, more women will join this family which is so strong, so dignified and full of enthusiasm for living an independent and free life.