By Nick Cox | Honorary Director
Happy Holi and a big thank you for providing so much colour to our beneficiaries lives.
Remember what it was like when sitting your exams was just around the corner? After 8pm its study time here at Snehalaya and you can hear a pin drop as the kids begin to prepare for their up and coming exams. As you know at Snehalaya we are committed to stopping second generation prostitution and this we have successfully done since the opening of the Rehabilitation Centre in 1989. We believe that education is a powerful tool in society and we are equipping the kids with what is essential to take into their futures so they won’t be exploited like so many of their mothers have been. We’re sure you’ll join us in wishing the best of luck to all the students at this important time.
Many of the women who are in the sex work profession for various reasons often find it hard to leave but, as reported last August, we offer the women an escape route by setting them up in small businesses through our Sneha-Saksham program. One such lady who took up this offer is Sonali. After years of suffering abuse and hardship, for the sake of her daughter she left the red light area to begin a new life by starting her own tea and snacks stall. Hear her inspirational story in her own words in the short film made for ‘International Women’s Day’ below.
There is one date in the calendar that will offer some light relief at exam time and that is the Holi Festival (Festival of Colour) which is being celebrated today.The major Hindu festival welcomes in the spring because it is believed the season is full of color, and that’s exactly what you see as colors of all varieties are poured over anyone who happens to be standing nearby. transforming them into a human rainbow! This festival of joy is always eagerly anticipated at Snehalaya as special sweets are distributed giving the kids the sugar rush they need to dance for hours covered with every color you can imagine.
We are also preparing to meet and greet our new batch of volunteers from University of Leeds, UK. This year has seen people from all over the globe come to offer their skills and help with the further education and development of the Snehalaya children. We carefully screen and select volunteers who can contribute relevant skills and experience and this year's successful applicants provided cultural exchanges from Germany, Switzerland, Basque Country and for the first time - China. English teachers, Bobo and Jessie introduced the kids to their culture by celebrating Chinese New Year. The kids were shown how to use chopsticks, made dumplings, had their names written in Chinese, created special lantern cards and all were given lucky red envelopes containing Yen. The kids had a great time as well as savoring a whole new experience courtesy of our friends from China.
Snehalaya wants to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and for being part of our family. You are making the difference by helping us to continue with our life changing work. If you are interested in volunteering please visit the relevant page of our website as linked below.
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