"My daughter was Trafficked....!!!"

As we sat down for a break before heading back home; two women from the community came over. One of them begun to tell us, that her daughter was Trafficked three months ago. She is a single mother, and her husband run away with another women. Her daughter is 10 years old and was taken to India. She was a close friend to one of the girls in the community. The 'friend' met a man who didn't live in that community. The man told 'friend', that he would give her money, if he brought the 10yr old girl to him.

After 'friend' received the money.....

One day she told this young girl that she wants to take her out for a meal in one of the bazaars. The young girl trusted 'friend' and went along. After they had eaten, she introduced her to 'the man who would give a better meal' and headed back home. Until now the girl has not been found. The 'friend' has been taken to the police, but she has been released. The mother has again and again, taken the matter to the police, but all the time the 'friend' is released.

She tried to talk with some authority figures, but she says, some of them are 'deeply involved' in the trafficking business. Everyone knows, everyone is concerned but live with it. The woman felt that she has come to a dead end. We asked, if she knows of other homes that have a similar concern and she named a few. We asked what she things needs to happen over this concern. She said, maybe if they met together, they can talk about the issue.

Tribina and Dipali (local team-mates) said, they also know of other people in the community who have the same concern and have wanted a forum to talk about it. You could see that the woman was hopeful after the conversation. She realised, she has the power to change the future, nobody is coming to help. Its their problem. At the end of the conversation, there was agreement on plans for a community meeting to explore this concern.

This was a great opportunity for the team, also to learn how a Facilitation team, acts as connectors in the community, and how conversations shift from concern to hope!

Trafficking, is real, its not a fairy tale; its serious, its happening; - and women are crying over their children!!!