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Goal:
To increase the availability and
accessibility of prevention, care and support services to orphans and
vulnerable children (OVC), particularly children of women in
prostitution and women in crisis or at risk of HIV/AIDS in Mumbai city.
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CCDT has been working
with children of women in
prostitution in Kamathipura (the largest red light area
in Mumbai) through the Ankur
Day
Care Centre since 1993. In 1997, the organisation
started Kishori Vatika - a night shelter program for the daughters of women in prostitution who live with their mothers
in the red light area. The project reaches
out to young girls between the ages of 6-16 years.
With a main focus on protection,
the Kishori Vatika program works to prevent
girls from entering into prostitution and imparts life skills education and vocational training.
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There was an urgent need to
address the safety issues for this group as more and more young girls were being drawn
into the profession. This shelter was intended to address the specific
areas which made these girls particularly vulnerable.
Daughters
of women in prostitution are particularly vulnerable to
prostitution as:
There is a more covert if not overt acceptance to earnings through
prostitution.
Their mothers are respected in the family as they send money for their
needs.
Living in the red light area exposes them to early sexual knowledge and
abuse.
Their mothers may die early (e.g. from contracting HIV) leaving the
daughter with no other options.
Daughters of WIP are also
vulnerable to being married
off at a very young age
as their mothers are worried for their safety. However, these marriages
often leave a girl just as vulnerable, as her husband or his family may
also be involved in prostitution. WIP tend to look for alliances in
their village itself. Most of the time, factors at the village have
compelled these women to enter prostitution. These factors remain
unchanged when they seek alliances for their daughters. As a result,
the daughters’ lives may not improve after marriage and they
remain as vulnerable as their mothers were.
Activities:
 Night shelter services
Education support
Nutrition support
Life Skill Education
Medical care
Psychosocial support
through counseling
Recreation and addressing
development needs
Community outreach and
events
Long term planning for
rehabilitation
Networking and linkages
with other NGOs and government departments
Capacity building of
staff
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