SUCCESS STORIES
RAHAB CENTRE FOR HOPE a humanitarian charitable organisation founded in November, 2010 has successfully rescued and rehabilitated 116 women, in 8 years, 7 countries, 17 internationally trafficked women. 12 from Nairobi, Kenya and 1 each from Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Columbia. Initiated Community Development projects in the rural villages of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and West Bengal. Organised 8 Medical Camps, started DEESHA SHIKSHA KENDRA – a Free Tuition Centre for Drop Out girls, SWASTHYA HEALTH CLINIC in UP where there are no hospitals with a 20-km radius, Self Help Groups IN Uttrakhand and SAKSHAM Tailoring & Stitching Unit for the community in South West Delhi.
Pratibha
Pratibha (name changed) is an orphan girl of 19 yrs from Bagalpur (Bihar). Her mother was killed in front of her when she was a small girl, and during the process her left eye was damaged. Her father then married again, and later passed away, leaving her an orphan girl with her step mother, who mistreated, and verbally and physically abused her.
This led her to run away from home, as was being abused daily by her step mom, and arrived in Delhi. She was spotted by the Delhi Police inside the New Railway Station, Delhi. She had worked as a maid for two months with a family. When we met her she was wearing filthy clothes and was crying inside the railway station office. As we spoke with her she mentioned that she was in search of her lost younger sister whom she doubt had been sold or given away somewhere by her aunty. She was reluctant to come with us as we were not known to her. She wanted to go back to the lady who had hired her as a maid.
We counselled her and gave her an opportunity to think and develop her skills while making a decision to return would negate. She needed a lot of counselling and encouragement to develop her mind and confidence. She was mentally disturbed and was not behaving in a proper manner when she was handed over to us by the Child helpline.
After three months of counselling, she gained confidence and began to believe in herself. Although her was a difficult child, her personality and behaviour was so different than girls her age. She was stubborn girl, and everything had to be done her way. She has suicidal tendencies, and threatened staff and the other girls with a knife.
Dr. Deepak Kumar from The Institute of Health and Allied Services was contacted and was recommended to visit Dr. Shabana at the Delhi Government Dispensary who works as a Psychologist. We had taken her to the dispensary on 14th September, and was asked to come for a revisit on 20th September, which she refused to go. She was thereafter, given training in Jewellery making and Baking classes were conducted.
An opportunity was given for her to study but unfortunately, although she was keen she was unable to cope due to her eyesight, as one was damaged and the other sight was poor, hence ready and writing was a major threat to her one eye. Finally an opportunity for employment at a textile factory and she was very quick to pick up the skill, again unfortunately she could not do much work as a skill buy only as a labour in packaging due her eye sight problem.
Her desire was to return back to Rahab and work in the city in local shops in the malls to earn a livelihood and was able to settle herself.
She still visit the home, and calls often to enquire about Rahab and the team.
Rimpy
Delhi is one of the largest metropolitan city where around 60% girls are trafficked from Assam, the statement of Rimpy who left her husband’s home from Assam along with her 1.6 years old son, due to sum misunderstanding between them, and travelled by train in the general compartment of Avadh Assam Express.
Study shows that the female pimps also travelled in the train from Assam and was caught in the web of pimps, who promised her shelter as well as a job. When the train reached New Delhi railway station at 1AM, she was with the pimps. One of our contacts saw her in distress and called us midnight informing us about Rimpy. The Railway police completed formalities and brought her to our NGO.
Our Counsellor conducted several sessions with her and after a week we were able to contact her husband through one of her auntys phone. After speaking to her husband, and aunty we asked to come to Delhi.
Due to poverty they were reluctant, and finally borrowed cash and arrived on 28 th May, 2018, that the date of my 30 th Wedding Anniversary, which we were not able to celebrate, but he joy of reuniting a family in Assam who lost all hopes of seeing his wife ands on again, wept and wept seeing his son and wife safe in our Home.
He could not help but thank us again and again and again, which move our hearts and brought tears. Completing all legal documentation for handover and verifying the same from the letter received from the Assam Police Station, Rimpy and her 1.6 year old son were handed over to her husband Pankaj and a drop them to railway station was arranged alongwith train tickets to Assam.
Tikeen Das
In the month of April 2018, the Delhi Police, Dwarka brought a girl and admission was given and formalities complete. TIKEEN DASS – Her story was a case of run away from home, missing for two years and a victim of physical and verbal abuse. Employed but no wages given by her employer where she worked as a maid for little less than a year. Our first step was Counselling and giving assurance of our full support and the steps we had planned to take and way forward.
Contact established with Family after 2 years. Within the first month, we were able to contact her father in Village Sabsagar in Odisha, as well as convince the family that their daughter is safe and for the family to accept her back.
Father’s Acceptance – The acceptance by her father brought immense relief to us as we discovered that her story was different from what we had imagined. Her father we realised was a loving and a caring dad, and all his 3 daughters respected him a lot.
Wages Recovered – Hiring a lawyer helped Rahab to recover her wages within one month. Mid June the girl’s father arrived from Odisha. He shared how he reached Delhi …… without a train reservation, standing in the trains compartment like sardines for two days without food, water and sleep, that too near the toilet.
REUNION with the FATHER – The reunion was an overwhelming feeling for not only the father and her daughter, but also for the staff at Rahab. As soon as the father entered Rahab, he had both hands lifted up HIGH in the air and then folded his hands and bowed down so so low… in ALL respect; his eyes full of tears. He then thanked us immensely for taking care of his daughter and keeping her SAFE in our Home.
We called for his daughter (who did not know that her father was arriving that day), she came downstairs and to her surprise, seeing her father she immediately FELL PROSTRATE ON THE FLOOR, weeping and then getting up to hug her dad, both weeping and hugging each other for a long time. It was certain she was Forgiven and Accepted. Such a beautiful sight to see the Reunion of a Father-Daughter after TWO years. Along with the emotional moment and the joy of this reunion, I was also reminded of the mission and goal of reaching out to the lost and downtrodden and how important a role we play in the life of such people.
Tiki completed her 6 -month Tailoring and Stitching course from SAKSHAM – an IRISH AID program. She also learnt to drive the E-Rickshaw donated by GUARDIAN INDIA. After staying with us for 19 months and her parents wanted her to return home. We arranged for her return train ticket and she has reached her house and is with her family.