About the Organisation: The union provides clothes food, counseling and education for the children, helping them become independent and socially responsible. Most of the children are aged between 6 and 11, some of whom live within the centre, with others living in the surrounding slum areas. They also provide support for single mothers, run income generation and empowerment initiatives for women and run an old age women's home.
Who they are: 70 years ago a women's union was set up in Bengal to help their helpless, exploited and victimized fellow sisters. Women and child trafficking had increased to an unprecedented extent. In between the two World Wars, the number of sailors and soldiers had considerably increased and the flesh trade found a ready and expanding market in
Kolkata.
What they do: For more than 50 years the organisation has run a school, pre-school and crèche for underprivileged girls as well as a children's home and their help is needed as much now as it ever was. There are around 185 children, most of whom are orphans, children of single parents, born in jails, lost or abandoned. Some have suffered sexual abuse because they had no protection on the streets. Thanks to the women's union they have shelter, clothes, food, medicine, education and counseling.
The union also provides support for single mums and runs income generation schemes for women and a home for elderly women.
What you can do: You will be able to teach a variety of subjects in the school. But there's much more to do than that and you'll use all your skills(like painting, dancing or drama) in recreational activities and helping to support and the empower the girls and women to have some control over their own lives.
GapGuru director Prakriti has done several periods as a volunteer with the project. Here's what she has to say: "One of the most rewarding projects I have been involved with - the children are all very friendly and eager to learn. It's particularly satisfying because it's a project run for women and initiated by women, who are among the most vulnerable and ignored people in India."