Kajal didn’t give up. After two years and a dramatic escape through a skylight, she arrived at Sahaara, a Tearfund partner based in Mumbai’s red light district. Sahaara are a long term Tearfund partner who work intensively with over 300 women, men, and children each year to give them a way out.
They run drop-in centres in Turbhe and Bhiwandi ‘red light’ areas, catering to trafficked women or women in prostitution. They build relationships with them, providing medical care and health awareness training as well as vocational guidance and training.
The staff also provide counselling to the women; helping them with their trauma - the drop-in centre is a place where women can come to receive emotional support and feel safe. The women receive spiritual counselling and prayer support. In the event that the women want to leave sex work, the drop-in centre acts as the first safe referral stop before they move out of the area to a safer location.
When she was at the centre, Kajal learnt a special kind of embroidery called Aari, so she would have a livelihood and be able to support herself. She is now a skilled worker, and continues to show great improvement. She has recently learnt Hindi literacy too. Kajal can now travel by herself and is overcoming her past traumas, becoming more expressive. There was much joy as she recently met her sister for the first time in 12 years.