‘Very high dropout rate among Sonagachhi girls’

Kolkata: Around 95% girls of commercial sex workers rescued from red light area Sonagachhi and rehabilitated become drop-outs after they succumbed to pressure from home.“Daughters of sex workers feel the pressure to start earning for the family when they are 12 to 14 years old. While they dream of alternative livelihood when they are young, these dreams get throttled as they come under pressure from the husbands of their mothers who usually entice girls into the fresh trade,” said Bharati Ganguly, founder and president of Project Udaan that runs a school as well as shelter for kids of commercial sex workers.Only 5%-10% girls get the opportunity to upgrade their skills or pursue further education and then find alternative sources of income.While pressure to earn is a challenge, the restrictions and regulations in a red light area also prevents girls from pursuing an alternative career. Given an opportunity, the girls would like to do something different. For instance, Brishti wants to become a teacher and educate her mother to raise their standard of living. Her mother Minu (names changed to protect privacy), is a sex worker who entertains her clients for Rs 200-500 per night. When Project Udaan requested that the child be taken to the Udaan Kanya Gurukul Centre for her formal education, Minu gladly agreed.A similar thing happened when Fatema, mother of young Raveena, asked Project Udaan’s teachers to take her out of brothels. She was five then. At the age of eight, she was touched by her father, who wanted to get her into the same profession because she looked a little more mature than her actual age. She was devastated both physically and mentally.“From the moment of their birth, these little ones experience physical, verbal, and mental abuse in addition to discrimination based on their socio-economic position and the community they are born in. Girls like Brishti and Raveena are frequently compelled to quit school due to stigmatisation and ostracization,” said Ganguly. There are some inspiring stories as well. Jyoti, a girl in Class X, is currently undergoing formal dance training and yoga alongside academic training. She also mentors other Udaan dance troupe kids under the supervision of other experts. She chose to leave Sonagachhi to assist her family. Now, she hopes to teach and successfully lead the Udaan dance troupe.Khushi, who was rescued from human trafficking after being abducted by several agents from a village, is now residing at the Udaan Kanya Gurukul Centre and pursuing formal education at a neighbouring government school.