Dedicated to Empowerment: Gia’s Encounter with Human Trafficking Survivors at Kshamata

Meet Gia, a compassionate and driven young individual who believes in the power of storytelling to shed light on the stories often hidden in the shadows. In her poignant article, Gia takes us on a journey through her eye-opening interaction with human trafficking survivors at the nonprofit Kshamata. Her account is a testament to her empathy, her commitment to amplifying unheard voices, and her unwavering dedication to making a difference in the lives of those affected by this grave injustice. Read her article below.

“Jo hoga woh hoga, acha hi hoga” (what happens will happen, good will only happen) says Kathapriya with the widest, most positive smile on her face. 5 years ago, she probably wouldn’t have thought her life would be filled with strength and courage, and not obstacles. With Kshamata’s support, today she sits proudly telling us about her Python training and computer science diploma.

Just like her, India has seen many victims, fighters, and survivors and unfortunately, lost some as well. That brings us to an important question, perhaps one that we’ve ignored for too long now, what are we really doing to stop this? What change are we bringing, what action are we taking, and what cause are we supporting? 

Isn’t it time to tap into our own Kshamata?

Just like that, the organisation Kshamata came into being. Not only does it reintegrate survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence into society but it also instills confidence and independence in every woman who has been made to feel less.

It gives voice to those whose screams have been ignored and understands all that is expressed in their silence.

As 20-year-old Zoya said, “I wouldn’t go out anywhere before, not even to the market without my mother, but today I go for fashion designing classes and am pursuing my dream”, Kshamata helped bring out her confidence and enabled her to make decisions for her future. Today, she dreams of opening her own boutique and is an inspiration for millions of young women.

Human trafficking is illegal under Indian law. The Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act, Bonded Labour Abolition Act, Child Labour Act, and Juvenile Justice Act are a few laws passed against this heinous crime. Yet, in India, in 2021, there were over a thousand cases reported with the highest being in the state of Maharashtra. Human lives are endangered at the hands of corrupt officials who let these brothels run. On the other hand, NGOs, police, lawyers, and government officials work together to rescue and rehabilitate these survivors.

With similar goals to make a difference, Archana, a field worker at Kshamata says, “My work inspires me. I’ve seen transitions in girls who have been through the toughest situations and today are independent and make their own choices. They are my key strength and I love impacting their lives.” At the organization, girls are given knowledge, exposure, opportunities, and even psychometric tests so they can explore their skills and interests. Their accomplishments speak for themselves, with girls pursuing law, medicine, python, and even fashion design.

Pramila, a senior field coordinator and one of the very first to join Kshamata says that giving women enough self-belief is important so they can lead their life later on with complete dignity. Coming from a background of violence herself, her passion for social work started very early on and she too dreamt of changing the societal structure, norms, and myths empowering one woman at a time.

When asked what she feels is most important to remember with respect to survivors she mentioned that she disagrees strongly with the notion people have that sex work is easy money and instead says, “These women have worked extremely hard. They have been through situations that have forced them to do this. We must work at changing the perspective and labels people put on these survivors.”

With this thought, we must all remember that they are fighters, they aspire to work at Google, open their boutiques, settle down in life, and with their courageous spirit and support want to rekindle that fire in them. They too have the right to their goals and aspirations.

Human trafficking is all around us-children on the streets, women in GB Road, New Delhi which is a normal market in the day, and domestic staff underage. These are just a few cases and we mustn’t ignore this anymore. We all can take inspiration to do our part in making a difference.

SMALL CHANGE X PEOPLE = BIG DIFFERENCE

Like Gia, you can 

• Work with diverse communities in an area of your interest
• Build entrepreneurial skills & improve soft skills
• Experience collective youth power in achieving sustainable development goals

Take that first step!

Begin your change-making journey by signing up for the upcoming cohorts of our Global Challenges & Social Justice Program.