Ten year old, Yogita’s mother was a victim of the sex trade and worked in a red light area in Mumbai. Her mother passed away two years ago and with no one to care for, Yogita was brought to Anandalay – a shelter home run by Sahaara, for daughters of trafficked women. Anandalay houses these children who are brought up by house-parents, in a loving and conducive family environment.

Yogita is the oldest and the first beneficiary brought into Anandalay. Over the past years, she has come to terms with the fact that her mother is no more. She feels at home in Anandalay and loves mothering the other girls of the home. They live like one big family.

Yogita now studies in second standard, in one of the top schools in the locality. At the outset, she struggled to cope in school as her foundational skills were poor. With encouragement and guidance from her houseparents and tutor, she worked hard and honed her talents. She has now emerged confident in various skills like recitation, poetry, storytelling, reading, sentence construction and writing. She has a keen interest in Mathematics and loves to work her way around numbers.

As for her other interests, Yogita is very artistic and loves to play with colors. She has participated in school plays and was also the lead singer in her school choir during carol singing. She loves badminton and enjoyed her swimming stint during the holidays. She is very interested in learning percussion instruments and she has already tried her hand at tabla (Indian drums) and is currently learning the congo.

Your generous donations will enable Sahaara to provide fresh and nutritious meals to Yogita for a year. The daily meals include wholesome breakfasts of eggs bread and milk, fresh lunches and dinners comprising of Indian breads/rice, lentils, vegetables, and two snacks consisting of biscuits, fruits and beverages.

Thank you for ensuring that Yogita remains healthy and continues doing well in her studies.

Sahaara believes that a helping hand of love and a continuum of services and opportunities is the key to transforming the dreams of the poor into their realities. Sahaara facilitates fulfilment of dreams to around 4000 helpless and marginalised people every year.

In a majority of Mumbai’s slums, quality and accessible education remains a pipe dream. For three and a half year old Sohail Sheikh, living in Reay Road slum, quality education is a dream-come-true, thanks to Sahaara’s balwadi situated near his house.

Little Sohail’s father, Wakil, is a taxi driver and his mother, Gulshan, is a housewife. Sohail has one sibling as well. The family hails from Uttar Pradesh. The family is poor and struggles to make ends meet, and they find it very difficult to cope with medical emergencies. Despite their poor economic condition, Sohail’s parents realize the value of a good education, and ensure that he goes to Sahaara’s balwadi every day.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colors, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), coloring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Sohail is a bright child who is good in academics and is physically very active. He loves twirling and singing. He enjoys watching television and is very talkative by nature. He is a story teller and loves engaging people with his stories! He is a well balanced child who thoroughly enjoys physical activities like running and hopping!

Thanks to your generous donation, Sachin, Sohail would be able to attend school for an entire year.

Three year old Kalimun Sheikh hails from Turbhe red light area, one of the innumerable poverty stricken red light pockets in Mumbai. Her father, Afzal, is not educated and her mother works in the red-light district as a maid. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Children like Kalimun, also face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education. Due to social stigma and poverty associated with red light areas, the children are not put in school and this missing out on education further compounds the present and future challenges of children like Kalimun.

Though Kalimun hails from such a disadvantaged background she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at Turbhe study center, run by Sahaara. The foundational pre-primary teaching provided at Sahaara’s balwadis enables Kalimun to step into a bright future through enrolment in a good school.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colors, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), coloring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Kalimun is a keen student who has always been eager to attend the study center. She is a live wire who is always bubbling with enthusiasm! She is very sociable and enjoys sharing her toys with the other children. She loves playing with colours and enjoys drawing session as well!

Thank you for coming together to provide a year of pre-primary education to Kalimun.

Five year old Riaz Mustafan hails from Reay Road, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Mustafan, works as a lighting decorator and his mother, Nassima, is a housewife. He has 2 brothers and 2 sisters as well. Both his parents are illiterate.

Children like Riaz, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Riaz hails from such a disadvantaged background he can dream of a stable future with a good education because he studies at the Reay Road study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Riaz’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming his future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colors, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), coloring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Riaz is a smart student and is very talkative as well. He loves to attend the balwadi as apart from studies, there are several playtime activities to engage the children as well. Riaz is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! He thoroughly enjoys physical activities like running and hopping. He loves to laugh and enjoys writing exercises.

Your generous donation, Sachin, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Riaz.

Four year old Salma Sheikh hails from Reay Road, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. Her father, Suleiman, is a taxi driver and her mother, Shabana, is a housewife. She has two brothers and one sister as well! Both her parents are illiterate. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Children like Salma, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Salma hails from such a disadvantaged background she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at the Reay Road study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Salma’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming her future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colors, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Salma is a quiet child and has a hunger for learning more and more from the teachers. She loves to smile but is reserved and so usually is shy to take part in group activities.

Your generous donation, Vinayak, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Salma. Thank you for your generosity.

Five year old Hussein Sheikh hails from Reay Road, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Shazid Sheikh, is a tailor and his mother, Salma, works as a maid. Hussein has one brother and one sister as well! Both his parents are illiterate. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Children like Hussein, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Hussein hails from such a disadvantaged background he can dream of a stable future with a good education because he studies at the Reay Road study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Hussein’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming his future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), coloring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Hussein  is a smart student who enjoys getting involved in physical activities. He is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! He loves to play games and is fond of eating good food. He has a relaxed demeanour and has a hunger for learning more and more from teachers!

Sahaara Charitable Society believes that every person has a dream, and their work centers around ensuring that marginalized persons are able to articulate and work towards achieving their dream. Sahaara’s early childhood education program gives children like Hussein, get a start which will help him break out of the poverty cycle and fulfill his dream of a stable future.

Your generous donation, Laura, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Hussein.

Approximately 2.8 million are sex workers in India and they are a highly marginalised, vulnerable and unreached population. They face severe stigma, experience commoditisation of personhood, are forced into poverty and entrapped in debt. Children residing in red light areas also face inhuman consequences. They face physical danger, vulnerability to violence and sexual exploitation.

Three year old Tasmiya Khan* hails from Turbhe red light area, one of the innumerable poverty stricken red light pockets in Mumbai. Her father, Noor, is a painter by profession and her mother, Anisha Begam, is a house wife. Both her parents are not educated. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Children like Tasmiya, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education. Due to social stigma and poverty associated with red light areas, the children are enrolled in schools,further compounding the present and future challenges of children like Tasmiya.

Though Tasmiya hails from such a disadvantaged background she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at Turbhe study center, run by Sahaara. The foundational pre-primary teaching provided at Sahaara’s balwadis enables Tasmiya to step into a bright future through enrolment in a good school.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Tasmiya is quiet by nature and has a hunger to learn more and more from the teacher. She enjoys playing with colours and is always ready to help out the teacher! She is sociable and shares her toys with other children. She loves singing sessions and thoroughly enjoys games.

Your generous donation, Michael, of a year of education, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Tasmiya.

Thank you so much for your generous gift to Tasmiya!

*Name changed to protect identity

Two and a half year old Jancy Francis hails from Dharavi, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. Her father, Francis Alfons Kaunder, works in house keeping and her mother, Surya Kala, is a housewife. Both her parents are illiterate.

Children like Jancy, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Jancy hails from such a disadvantaged background she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at the Dharavi study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Jancy’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming her future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting, and recognition.

Jancy loves to attend the balwadi as apart from studies, there are several playtime activities to engage the children as well. Jancy is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! She loves to play with colours and performing action songs. She is sociable and enjoys sharing her toys and things with other children. She also loves to dress up and enjoys learning nursery rhymes!

Your generous donation, Tammy (three months) and Shreeya (nine months) will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Jancy.

Thank you so much for your gift to Jancy!

Children residing in red light communities live in highly dangerous environments of violence, trauma and abuse. Many of these children are kept drugged under the very beds upon which the trade is carried out. Perishing in hunger, neglect, illiteracy and hopelessness, these children long for the day their childhood would be theirs again.

Three year old Nirmala* hails from Turbhe red light area, one of the innumerable poverty stricken red light pockets in Mumbai. Her father, Baldev and her mother, Sangita are not educated and the family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Children like Nirmala, residing in red light areas, face hurdles of generational illiteracy, limited access to education and poor quality of education. Further they are also exposed everyday to the traumaitizing environment of the sex trade characterised by violence, coercion and deceit.

Though Nirmala hails from such a disadvantaged background, she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at Turbhe study center, run by Sahaara. The foundational pre-primary teaching provided at Sahaara’s balwadis enables Nirmala to step into a bright future through enrolment in a good school.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Nirmala is a smart student with excellent recall skills. She loves singing nursery rhymes and performing action songs. She enjoys colouring and drawing and has a lot of fun while playing games. Nirmala is very sociable and loves helping the other children.

The early childhood education program gives children like Nirmala, get a head start which will help her break out of the vulnerable existence in the red light area and step into a safe and secure future.

Your generous donations, Cathleen, Rao, Tom, and John, of three months of education each, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Nirmala.

Thank you so much,Cathleen, Rao, Tom, and John, for your gift to Nirmala!

*Name changed to protect identity

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.

Four year old Mala*’s mother was a victim of the sex trade and worked in Ghatkopar red light area in Mumbai.

With counselling, Mala’s mother was able to see the advantages of a rehabilitation home and agreed to send her daughter to Anandalay,­ the shelter home run by Sahaara, for daughters of trafficked women. Anandalay houses these children who are brought up by house-parents, in a loving and conducive family environment.

Mala came to Anandalay on 3^rd October 2011. The transition period for Mala has been minimal and she has settled down comfortably in the new atmosphere of Anandalay, enjoying the company of the other children and the house parents.

Your generous donations of a week of nutrition each, Zachary, Melissa, Nyree, Tom (x2), Joe and Karen, Shannon, Tim and Sherie, and Judd (x4), will enable Sahaara to provide fresh and nutritious meals to Mala, thereby ensuring that she remains healthy and continues doing well in her studies.