ACT-Chiraag

Poverty in the city of Mumbai is among migrants and individuals wrongfully brought into the city & exploited in many ways. The needs are diverse and the trauma of economic, emotional, physical & social exploitation ranges from significant to severe among migrants & displaced persons. While migrants live in unauthorized dwellings where civic amenities and services are poor, the individuals who are rescued from exploitation are in various shelter homes. The latter do not have adequate social structures to live in safety, security, and sustainability. The absence of health & well-being, sustainable livelihoods, accessing services, and facilities sustain the impact of poverty on them. Women do not have adequate health support while children are placed in Municipal schools and require additional extra-curricular inputs for their health well-being and development. Women and young girls are coerced into employments that result in direct and indirect sexual abuse. They suffer abuse, exploitation, violence, and prone to repeated trafficking or coerced into crime.

 The project is designed to address the needs of three specific groups of people:

• Urban slum church communities that live in poverty and deprivation
• Youth from low socio-economic backgrounds in Schools and communities.
• Victims of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and trauma in aftercare shelters

All three target groups are unique and distinct in their needs and situations of poverty. They are vulnerable to continuous abuse and exploitation.

Communities are empowered to understand the scope of rights & entitlements for people as citizens of the country and hence can make a difference in the lives of the poor so that their lives are transformed. Vulnerable women and children who are trafficked and sexually traumatized find healing and restoration to live self-sustained lives. Laws & policies of the state are accessed and people are in control of their development rights to break the cycle of poverty. People know and understand processes that enable one to access appropriate services from the state.

Along with the need for community development, we also wish to build the capacity of the local communities to address the need of the growing mental health burden in the city

Every poor community in the city has been equipped to handle their concerns of health, education, and employment resulting in the transformation of their lives and reduction of poverty.

Vulnerable, trafficked, and abused women and children have been provided therapy to cope with the trauma faced while in distress so that they can function to their full God-given potential.

The capacity of every youth in a poor community has been developed so that they can make responsible and informed choices to cope with the demands of everyday life.