An urgent appeal to save girls from traffickers

Dear Global Givers,

We are happy to share an update on Kiran and Pooja (name changed), who without your
support would have dropped out of school and could have potentially been forced to
engage in sex work to support their family. Thanks to your support, both Kiran and Pooja
can continue with their education. They both now have a chance to a life free from abuse
and a future to decide for themselves.

The pandemic has made girls, especially from resource-poor backgrounds even more
vulnerable and has prevented many from going to school. Lack of digital devices, gender
parity and poverty has added even more burden for poor families to allow girls to go to
school. Since the pandemic, many girls have also reported facing sexual abuse, rampant rise
in child marriages and parents giving preferences to sons over daughters to use their mobile
phones to attend online classes. Girls in India from both rural and urban poor communities
are facing extreme challenges as COVID-19 has pushed many girls out of school as family
income have been deeply impacted.

Kiran is currently studying in 9th grade and dreams of becoming a doctor. Her father works
as a daily wage labourer and is struggling to support their family of six. With little work and
increased expenses, Kiran’s family was planning to send her to Mumbai for sex work so that
she can support her family.

Pooja’s story is no different. Her father abandoned her family and her mother had to take
up a job as a domestic help to take care of Pooja and her brother. Her brother has not been
keeping well and with no additional income, Pooja’s mother contemplated sending her to
Mumbai where she will train her to become a commercial sex worker. Pooja is pursuing her
11th grade and hopes to become a teacher. 

Without iPartner India’s intervention, both Kiran and Pooja’s life would have been very
different today. Through your support, both Kiran and Pooja are enrolled in a boarding
school and will continue with their education.

iPartner India remains committed to ensuring that no girls on our watch will be left behind.
We collaborate with grassroots organisations in India that are combating child trafficking
and provide direct services to children and youth who have been trafficked, exploited and
abused. Our work also entails engaging with local communities by empowering local leaders
to create change at local, regional, and national levels.

Thank you Global Givers for giving Kiran and Pooja a chance in life to pursue their education.
We remain grateful to you for believing in our work and we look forward to your continued
support so that together we can empower girls like Kiran and Pooja who in return will
inspire other girls from their community to pursue their dreams.  
 
With deep gratitude,

iPartner India Team