Make 50 Survivors Of Violence Work Ready

" I was shocked when I found out that I had been sold off at the age of seventeen years! I could still hear them talk in the corridor, and all I knew is that I had to somehow run away from there and save my life. My uncle had sent me to his friend's place in Bombay and told me that I would get the job of a nurse there. Since i came from a very economically backward family, my mother agreed to send me to Bombay. I had a younger brother and my mother always used to be sick we needed a fixed amount of income to survive so even I agreed to go with my maternal uncle. Mu uncle accompanied me to Bombay to his friend's place and we started staying there for some days. With every passing day, I saw that a few people would come to his friend's place and see me and then leave. I couldn't really understand what was going on. Three days later, I heard a few people talking with him in the corridor and that is when I figured out, they were all customers who were planning to pay a handsome amount for me. I decided that I had to flee that night. But, unfortunately, I got caught and was then trafficked by my uncle and his friend. Later, after almost a year I was rescued by the police and sent to a shelter home. After four months I was shifted to Jabala's shelter home.

I used to feel very lost and lonely and I had shut myself from the other people. I started hating everyone by then and felt like my life had no meaning. But, Jabala helped me gain back my confidence through regular counselling sessions. The counsellor was very nice and she kept talking to me even if I wouldn't answer. slowly, I started opening up and finally could express my grief. Later, I started learning tailoring work there to indulge myself in various activities. But, I wanted to become self-dependent and do something to stand up in society so that I could look after myself and lead a life with dignity. Jabala provided me with special training in house-keeping management, and after that facilitated my recruitment in a reputed hotel with a salary of 10,000. After working there for six months I shifted to a reputed mall where I had to work as a sales attendant. Currently, I am working there and am very happy with my life.

Life is completely different for me now, and I can enjoy little things in life. I thank you all for your support because I couldn't have become so confident without your help. I know that I have a choice now, and how I would spend my life further is going to be my choice."

(Heena Islam, a girl from Bongaon, North 24 Parganas)

ALL IDENTITIES OF THE RESCUED VICTIM ARE CHANGED DUE TO PRIVACY POLICIES.

Rehabilitation of the survivors means to restore them to a useful life or a better condition, through quality care, counselling cultural & sports inputs, education, health support, income opportunities and social security. Jabala through its Economic Empowerment(EE) program incorporates building sustainable livelihoods, improving financial and household decision-making strengthening household assets and increasing household economic resilience and land tenure.

Status Update

No. of Survivors Trained- 50

Placement-30                                                               

Types Of Training:

- House Keeping-18

- Bag and Jewellery making- 15

- Herbal Gardening-05

- Motor Driving- 10

-Soil testing-05

Links:

• Our official website