Pallavi loves to play football!

Children in red light areas live in severe physical and psychological peril, vulnerable to abuse, trauma and second generation prostitution. Here is the success story of one more child rescued from the sex trade.

Eight year old Pallavi*’s mother was a victim of the sex trade and worked in the Turbhe red light area in Mumbai, India. Sahaara staff knew Pallavi’s mother since 2008. Pallavi was a student in the Sahaara balwadi (pre-primary school) as well. After receiving counsel from Sahaara officials, Pallavi’s mother decided to admit her child to Anandalay for a better and safer future. Anandalay (Home of Joy) is a shelter run by Sahaara for daughters of trafficked women. Children in Anandalay are brought up by house parents in a loving and conducive family environment. Pallavi was welcomed into Anandalay on the 1st of April in 2009.

Upon arrival, Pallavi was very aggressive in her language and did not show respect to others. This was natural because she hailed from an environment of violence and abuse in the red light district and she was unfamiliar with a family environment. The house parents in Anandalay engaged with her, assured her with love and instructed her in good behavior. Observing the other children and heeding the guidance of the house parents, Pallavi social skills began to mature. Pallavi is now respectful and loving in speech and conduct with the other children in the home as well as her houseparents.

Pallavi feels at home in Anandalay and loves to help the other children catch up with their studies. She naturally enjoys sharing with others and is proactive in helping the houseparents.

Your generous donations, Jeff and Sumair, will enable Sahaara to provide fresh and nutritious meals to Pallavi, thereby ensuring that she remains healthy and continues doing well in her studies.