March 18, 2010

What Happened?

On March 16th Tim traveled to New York City to meet with the founder and director of Prajwala, Dr. Sunitha Krishnan. She was in the United States as a guest of the US State Department. While in Washington, D.C., Sunitha was able to meet with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, both of whom were among the speakers at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards. Additionally, Sunitha attended the State Departments annual Women of Courage Awards where Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton presented the 2010 International Women of Courage awards. Subsequently she spoke at an international conference for women in New York City. Quite a busy trip for Dr. Krishnan!

The purpose of Tim's trip to NYC was to present Sunitha with a check in the amount of $20,000 from FGISpirit. The purpose of the funding is to assist in the Prajwala educational programs for girls and women rescued from sexual trafficking and slavery. As of today, forty-three individuals have made tax-deductible contributions that total $17,000. Thank you!

During the Tim's time with her, Sunitha updated us on her work. From our earlier Reflections, you may remember that one of the pressing issues for Prajwala was to find a new site for the primary campus as they are losing the existing compound to a shopping mall. Sunitha told us that finding a site has been very difficult. She has finally had to resort to leaving Hyderabad and purchasing land over 60 kms (40 miles) away. The cost of operations will be increased substantially because of the transportation expenses.

No one who had space in Hyderabad was willing to let a program for girls and women who had been trafficked or enslaved be near their places of business or residence. Even major supporters in Hyderabad turned the other way when she approached them. The rejections, as Sunitha described them were "very painful and the hostility was great."

Tim's Learnings

NIMBY (Not in my back yard) I guess is a universal community response. It is telling that programs involved in addiction recovery, homelessness or rescue from trafficking are generally seen as positive and useful. However, the neighborhoods or communities often feel very uncomfortable and even closed to the idea if it is nearby.

I think of all the difficulties agencies in Omaha have faced in finding locations for halfway houses or treatment facilities. I suspect that the same is true in every city in this country. So, a program for women who had been forced sexual slaves would have no chance of finding land.

After all, to feel positive about such a program would require us to acknowledge that:

• Men abuse little girls and women
• The girls and women are victims, not prostitutes
• The legal system in this country, as in India, finds it much easier to look the other way than to really work to stamp out this heinous crime
• Thousands of powerful people in our society make millions of dollars from promoting sexual trafficking and forcing young girls and women into slavery and prostitution
• You and I have a responsibility to our fellow human beings, especially those who are the victims of sexual trafficking and slavery.

What makes us not act?

The victims of sexual trafficking may come from India. The largest percentage of the victims are going to the United States and Western Europe.

Being with Sunitha reminded me of how much this tragedy makes me both ill and furious.

Carol's Learnings

Living up to my own good intentions often causes me to make tough choices. After months of active work and dedication to our work with Prajwala, Sunitha was coming to the US! How great this was. It meant we did not have to have the money hand-carried to her by our friends. It meant we would place the check directly into Sunitha's hands. However, her trip coincided with the annual Spring Break that our grandchildren have made to visit Terry and me since they first started school. Now ages 10 and 13, our grandsons look forward to their trip today as much as they did as tiny boys. We do also. Thus, I chose to be there to share in these special days of family time. This meant I missed being with Sunitha in person.

Still, from a park bench in NYC's Central Park, Sunitha dialed my cell phone number and we talked as if face-to-face. Her voice was filled with such energy and joy as she spoke with me. "Carol, I miss you. I will wait for our time together in October." On and on we spoke as she shared about her issues with the move, about the girls who whose numbers were fast increasing, about the challenges of the new facility, about how incredible it was that we had raised this money from individuals who were our friends, one by one.

I heard about the new threats on her life, about the difficulties with government officials. Still, I heard joyous and solid positive energy coming through her voice. When I mentioned this, Sunitha said to me, "Carol, everyday the girls are with me as I go about my work. I go on rescues myself. These girls give me energy. This work gives me energy. I must keep going and I will."

My own commitment rose higher. My own anger grew also. How can humans mistreat each other in such ugly and heartless ways? How can a tiny, little girl be considered as something created to be sexually violated or even killed?

Then, I went to the more easily answered questions. What more can we do? What are some ways to raise our commitment and increase our work in the world to combat sexual slavery? Who else can we contact? When will I be with Sunitha and the "girls" again?

Some of these questions I can answer now. Sunitha has already requested that Tim and I spend a day interacting with, encouraging, loving and educating the Prajwala girls and women in October when we return to India. We now have contacts, friends of friends in Omaha, in the US State Department. We will continue our contacts there.

Suddenly, my life has changed because one very tiny and very strong, powerful woman and many tiny little girls spoke to me and looked into my heart with their lovely brown eyes. I heard and responded with new levels of being.

Update on Contributions to FGISpirit

Tax-free donations to our US non-profit are still very much appreciated and continue to arrive. We sincerely thank each one of you who has invested in this important initiative. We are filled with gratitude for your caring and generosity.

We are attaching two photos, one of Tim presenting the check, the other of Sunitha in Central Park talking on her cell phone to Carol.