Kolkata December 2009

Christy Garg of Cents of Relief just returned from her visit to our partners in Kolkata. Read more about Christy's visit below.

I just returned from Kolkata, which was amazing. Not only did I get to surprise the girls we have worked with in the past, but I also visited two nonprofits we plan to partner with.

First, the surprise visit. The girls of Apne Aap have been training in Indian classical dance, and put on a beautiful performance "Dancing with Shiva" in the auditorium across from the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata. It fused Indian classical dance with a traditional Spanish dance. The event received a lot of publicity, and had some high profile guests -- I saw a billboard in Kolkata advertising the event (didn't have my camera that day) and met the Japanese consulate at the dinner reception. I was lucky to be able to attend on short notice, and went backstage after the performance to meet the girls. As I walked through the long hallway to back stage, I was greeted with screams of "Christy Didi," followed by a swarm of hugs and questions. Soon after, the girls realized that they were still halfway in their costumes with full dance makeup and become quickly embarrassed. The girls are growing up so fast, and most seem to be doing very well. They are attending school, practicing English, and full of aspiration. It was a bit sad when I asked where a few of the children were, and they responded that they went away to a hostile and did not come back. While I hope that those children did not fall to the same fate of their mothers, deep down I had a bad feeling about it.

I also had the chance to visit a nonprofit we plan to partner with, called New Light. The center was located in Kali Ghat, a red-light area near the famous Kali Mandir (temple). New Light had a Christmas party for all the children they work with. After navigating through a busy red light area past men soliciting and women selling sex, and the many vendors along with way, a small gully led to a cheery mix of Christmas music coupled with random tunes of Britney Spears, beautiful strings of lights above the buildings, and children running everywhere with several Western volunteers. The children boldly walked up to me, offering an extended hand with a kind "hello madam, my name is..." I chatted with the director Urmi for some time, a vibrant woman who works tirelessly at the center and is passionate about making a difference. We discussed their needs, goals, and current programs. New Light has many facilities and programs, such as a health clinic, legal clinic, shelter homes, and computer training. It was fascinating to hear the legal issues that arise just trying to get women a voter identification card. With no birth record, and a life in a brothel, it is quite difficult to establish one's identity. We plan to work to provide plastic surgery to women who are victims of acid burns. Urmi explained that it is often times framed as a "cooking accident," although from the place of the burns (usually the face and neck) and the fact that no one who tried to help suffered from any similar burns, it is all too commonly a suicide attempt or an attack.

My final visit was to Destiny, a nonprofit formed by a dedicated women Smarita, whom we worked with previously on programs in Kolkata. At Destiny, the children who live in nearby shelter homes come to learn sustainable handicrafts, most commonly embroidery. Smarita is planning to next work on employment placement programs with red-light area young adults who are just finishing school and ready to enter the workplace. With about 8 sewing machines in a bright second floor space, the children at Destiny do not yet go to formal school , but escaped the red light areas to come here daily instead. I visited the center for a couple hours, and saw many of the handicrafts made, offered suggestions for what would be popular in America. We hope to partner with Destiny and offer some of their products for sale -- including greeting cards, yoga bags, blankets, and reusable shopping bags.

Photos and videos to come in the next post. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!