WAY FORWARD AFTER THE RESCUE

Brief About Rescue Foundation
Rescue Foundation is a Non-Profit organization dedicated to serve children and women who are vulnerable to or victims of any form of human trafficking and its consequent forms of exploitation. Rescue Foundation is India’s only organization which offers comprehensive interventions consisting of intelligence gathering, Investigations, prosecutions, identification of victims, rescue and recovery, repatriation and reintegration with its own Government licensed and co-funded safe houses across India.

During the care and protection period the children’s food, shelter, education, physical and mental health support and recreation is taken care of through several in-house programs

During repatriation of girls they are handed over to families after detailed home enquiry and individual care plan is in place in partnership with the Local NGO Partners and the Government. Those who do not want to go back to their families or the families do not want them or the risk from criminal networks is too high, these circumstances are factored in the implementation of the individuals care plan in their reintegration. Some of these girls are continue to stay with Rescue Foundation as part of our Group Home in Mumbai

Way Forward After Rescue
As a pilot project we have initiated a Way Forward after Rescue to respond to the needs of aftercare for the 20 girls who for whatever reasons have stayed back with Recue Foundation after their release

Care & Protection
Presently we have 20 girls who have been released and have decided to stay back with Rescue Foundation at the Group Home in Mumbai. We have a Counsellor and a Social Worker who are in charge and provide counselling and support to these girls. The working model is that of hand holding and guiding rather than constant supervision. These girls are free to travel to their jobs, trainings, for education. They are involved the daily chores of the Home such as cooking, cleaning and managing day to day expenses. Rescue Foundation provides with food, shelter, electricity and water. The girls also take part in the Shelter Home activities during National and Cultural Festivities.

The effort of the Organization is to enable the girls to take decisions for themselves and be independent in a gradual phased manner

Following Interventions are presently being conducted for the girls

Training
A fabric painting class was started for the girls who do not attend any class or job

Monitoring Health
One of the girl is an orphan and HIV positive but doing very well overall. She is studying in her First Year College and attends her class regularly. She is given a protein rich diet of milk and eggs daily. During the rains few of the girls had viral fevers which were treated at the local government hospital. The other girls are doing well in health.

Counselling
Group and Individual Counselling is provided by the in house counsellor regularly. The Counsellor’s job has been mostly to guide, and address the immediate needs of the girls. Some of them have been having issues with long hours of work, adjusting to the work environment in Mumbai. Traveling long distances also does not allow some of them to concentrate on their studies.

The Counsellor and Social Worker as act as link between the families of these girls. There are issues of growing up and their need to be part of the mainstream society.

Education
Total 5 Girls have been attending College at various levels
2 girls attend a regular school and are preparing for their 10th Grade Examination. They require private coaching for few subjects which was arranged in the month of August 2019
2 girls attend College, one of them completed her 12th Grade and has started her degree course in Bachelor of Banking & Insurance. The other girl has to reappear for one of her exams. She is looking out for a temporary job till her date of exams
One girl is doing her 14th Grade in Commerce. She had taken up a summer job in Coffee Café Day but had to give up as it negatively affected her studies and health

Job Placement
One girl who trained by JW Marriott Mumbai for 6 months on Hospitality, could not be absorbed in the industry as she did not have sufficient identity proof. Rescue Foundation is in process to compile her documents
4 girls have been placed at an Artificial Jewellery Unit and are doing well at their jobs
2 girls have been working at a Tailoring Unit set up by an NGO. They are doing well at their jobs
1 girl was trained in caring for the sick and bedridden. She has got a job to be a house nurse for an elderly lady and she is doing well
Some of the girls had to give up their part time jobs as it interfered with their attendance and studies
One girl who was working at Coffee Café Day had issues with regards to her security. After speaking to the shop we have managed to change her location. Now she works at an outlet which is closer to the Group Home
The 2 girls who attend job at a jewellery unit have got good report from the Unit. They are also doing well in some learning of soft kills and school studies along with holding their jobs. Once their studies are complete we would enrol them in giving their exams
3 of the girls had to go to their native place to get proof of her identity

Reuniting with Families
1 girl was handed over to her family in June 2019

Celebration of Festivals & National Days

The girls celebrated Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan, Idd and Ganesh Chathruthi during this quarter.  The Brahmkumaris Group of Mumbai visited on Raksha Bandhan Day and tied rakhis and distributed sweets to all the girls.

Networking & Support 

Visits to the units where the girls have been working is done by the Social Worker
Visits were made to register some of the girls for 10th Grade at the National Institute of Open School (NIOS)
The Counsellor attended the School Parents Teachers Meet for 2 of our School going girls