"Urgent Appeal: Rebuild Lives of Flood-Affected Survivors of Human Trafficking and Sex Workers in Vijayawada - AP"

Urgent Appeal: Rebuild Lives of Flood-Affected Survivors of Human Trafficking and Sex Workers in Vijayawada - AP.

Flooding in Vijayawada: This is the Story of Lakshmi's Tears

Lakshmi, a 33-year-old victim of human trafficking (name changed), was living with her two young children in a rented tin house in Rajeev Colony, Vijayawada. She is now a member of VIMUKTHI (a collective of sex workers and survivors of human trafficking) and runs a small tiffin center on her own. The flood waters that came last Sunday have immersed her home too. The family managed to escape by locking themselves inside and eventually got out. They are currently taking refuge at a relative's house in the distant Y.S.R. Colony, Vijayawada Town, Andhra Pradesh.

On Monday, the floods also reached Y.S.R. Colony, and for the past four days, they have been enduring severe discomfort without sleep or food. On Friday, as the floodwaters began to recede, they returned to their home in Rajeev Colony. Upon returning, they found their house in a terrible state. Their tin house, built with two bedrooms on a 100-square-yard plot, was filled with an unbearable stench as soon as they opened the door. The floor was covered with deep mud and sewage. The 15 kilograms of oil, 20 kilograms of lentils, rice, and all other essential household items meant for running the tiffin center were soaked in water and emitting a foul smell. Clothing, mattresses, and bedding in the house were damaged by the mud and water. A fridge, bought on a loan of 30,000 rupees with interest seven months ago for the tiffin center, was submerged in the floodwater and is now unusable. The stove, mixer-grinder, and other kitchen items were ruined. Lakshmi's daughters, one in the tenth grade and the other in the eighth grade, had their books soaked and ruined. All the equipment bought for the tiffin center was washed away in the water. Lakshmi lamented that she has suffered a loss of about one lakh rupees (100,000). This is just one example of the difficulties faced. Similar issues are being encountered by everyone in every colony affected by the Vijayawada floods, especially by women who are victims of trafficking & victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation. These problems are even more severe for them.

Immediate Needs on the Ground 

1.     Family Survival Kits – consisting of Rice, Toor Dal, Cooking Oil, Salt, Sugar, Kitchen Masala Powder.

2.   Clean drinking water 

3.   Personal Hygiene and Sanitation Kits – consisting of Bedsheet, Mosquito Net, Plastic Bucket, Tooth Brush and Paste, Bath Soap & Detergent.

4.   Healthcare Relief – Health Check-ups and provision of free medicines for people suffering from communicable and non-communicable diseases and spraying of disinfectant in waterlogged area.

5.   Livelihood: Medium and longer term’s recovery work such as livelihood recovery, rehabilitation of damaged houses and public facilities, psychosocial support to floods affected communities 

6.   Working with small businesses run by micro-entrepreneurs who suffer the most and cannot sustain their livelihood due to the losses incurred.

7.   Continuous disaster preparedness work 

Your support can help these families survive and rebuild. Please donate to HELP’s flood relief efforts for survivors of human trafficking and Victims of Commercial Sexual exploitation and their children. Together, we can make a difference.

Pledge your support, donate now!