Reaching out to survivors of human trafficking

Human traffic is a global tragedy that robs millions of people of their freedom and aspirations. India is facing this problem on a large scale. The victims disproportionately happen to be women and children. Even though the government and other organisations are working hard to rescue the victims, there are a lot of hurdles even for those who are rescued. Apart from undergoing severe trauma, physically and emotionally, many survivors are unable to rebuild their lives because of the stigma they face and the lack of resources to help them.

Mumbai Smiles held a series of meetings with survivors of human trafficking on 13 August 2018 at a playschool in Ghatkopar. The session was held in collaboration with Vijay Krida Mandal, an organisation that works towards women’s empowerment. The agenda of the meeting was to establish the preschool centre for the children of the survivors. It was also an avenue for our outreach workers to have one-on-one conversations with the survivors to understand how they fell into the trap of human trafficking.

The session was deeply enlightening and moving. It helped the Mumbai Smiles team to become more aware of the ways in which the web of human trafficking spreads—such awareness is key to eradicating the problem in future. It also gave the survivors hope that they and their futures have not been forgotten by society—that there are people who care about their stories and about creating more opportunities for them as well as their families.