This post was written by one of our supporters, Eva Chayet, who had the chance to visit 2013 Humanitarian Honoree Triveni Acharya in India. Triveni is an anti-trafficking activist who has rescued more than 4,000 children from brothels. During her visit, Eva met girls who were rescued and saw how Triveni is giving them renewed hope for the future.
I have now traveled to India seven times in the last few years, and have scheduled to visit next year and plan to do so for many years to come. Every time that I return home from India it takes me a while to return to the normality of my life – not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. With me, I bring a feeling of unease and helplessness at the inability to change the ugliness that I see on the streets of India.
This last November, at the World Of Children Awards Ceremony, I met Triveni Acharya. That is when and how I was given an opportunity to do something about these feelings. Triveni was chosen as the 2013 Humanitarian Award Honoree. I was very impressed by this small, soft spoken, middle-aged and kind woman who had the power to change young women’s lives and she became the example I was searching for to give a purpose to my return trips to India. That special evening I promised Triveni I would visit her on my next trip.
The day I visited with her was inspiring, humbling and incomparably meaningful to me. Triveni and her foundation support hundreds of young women that have been taken off the streets under dangerous and perilous efforts. The smiles with which these girls welcomed me to their now clean and safe environment brought a tremendous amount of joy and peace to my heart. My life seemed surreal in comparison to the harsh reality that these young women faced before Triveni’s help.
I saw some of the girls being trained in different arts and crafts which would give them the knowledge and skills to support themselves once they leave the Center. Others were being taught how to use computers. They eagerly and immediately put to use the laptops that were donated by World of Children. Some of the women were in an instructor-led class where they were being taught to read and write.
Everywhere I looked throughout my visit I saw a picture that I will never forget – the display of love, care and respect that Triveni showed to the young women and seeing that reflected in them.
I can’t wait to visit again and do more to make a difference in the place I love so much: India. I am planning to bring 20 ladies with me on my next trip to India in February 2015. We are all looking forward to visiting Triveni’s foundation and the opportunity to learn what we can each do to support and assist the Rescue Foundation in bringing these women tools and help toward a better future.
Help Triveni rescue more children from the horrors of brothels in India by clicking here.