Twenty five year old Aarti belongs to a family of Devadasis and was dedicated to a temple God while she was a fifteen year old girl. But Aarti dreams for a better future for her children.
Trafficked to Pune with a promise of a good job. Aarti was sold to be a prostitute. She was shattered to know about her status. Aarti says, "I begged the lady to release me. I told her I wanted to go back but the owner told me there was no way out, If I did not obey her she would beat me and lock me up till I agreed to do what she says."
During the course Aarti also understood that she was not let to go because she was a virgin and much in demand by the male customers. Few years later, Aarti was again sold back to a brothel in Miraj city.
From then on Aarti’s had no other option. Aarti has two children aged six and three. She aspires for a better life for them.
World Vision’s Area Development Program in Miraj city works with nearly 300 sex workers. A discussion with them revealed that protecting their children remained a big challenge and needed proper intervention.
Children of sex wokers were usually sent out of houses to wander in roads or sedated to sleep in the houses, which makes them all the more vulnerable. Guarding the right to protection of every child, World Vision runs a night care centre for children of sex workers. This night shelter came as a sign of relief to Aarti.
Activities in the centre give opportunities for a better future for the children. Starting from 6 in the evening, the centre takes care of the children till they go back home next morning. Children are taken care of in this centre by two well-trained women staff.
Aarti is tested HIV positive and she is in regular touch with World Vision counselors.
She says, "I send my son to the night crèche, managed by World Vision. I do not want him to grow in this environment. I want him to become a doctor and live far away from this place. In the crèche they give him healthy food, and he gets to play and have a good night rest."
Having a girl child and the fact she was trafficked at fifteen, Aarti is very apprehensive. She says, "My life is spoilt but I want both my children to live a respectable life. I want to put them in a hostel once they grow big."
