India’s Unwanted Girls
Posted on May 24, 2011 | LEAVE A COMMENT
This week the BBC published "India's Unwanted Girls," an article spotlighting India's struggle to end the abortion of female fetuses. "In 1961, for every 1,000 boys under the age of seven, there were 976 girls. Today the figure has dropped to a dismal 914 girls," the article states. "Although the number of women overall is improving (due to factors such as life expectancy), India's ratio of young girls to boys is one of the worst in the world after China."
The article tells the story of Kulwant, a mother who was forced by her in-laws to abort three female children -- one five months old. "They were angry. They didn't want girls in the family. They wanted boys so they could get fat dowries," she says.
Outlawing dowries and early ultrasounds have not improved the situation. Many call for strong education on the role of women and their rights in Indian society, as well as education and economic independence for women as the only means to eradicate this growing, alarming problem.
Read the full article here.
Mother’s and Others Event
Posted on May 04, 2011 | LEAVE A COMMENT
The IPP team in Northwest Arkansas partnered with Heartlife, the women’s ministry at First Baptist Church in Siloam Springs, last night to present “Mothers and Others: Beauty in All Things.”
IPP volunteers put on a PUNJAMMIE style show for the ladies, and Laura shared some real life stories about the women she met in India. IPP sold a number of PUNJAMMIES before and after the event. It was a lovely night of sharing and delighting in the beauty that can come from ashes.
Thank you to Heartlife and all of our IPP volunteers who made this event possible!
Monday News: Apne Aap gains write-up
Posted on May 02, 2011 | 15 COMMENTS
Daily India did a recent write up about Apne Aap Women Worldwide Trust, an anti-trafficking organization located in New Delhi. Apne Aap focuses on training women and children rescued from prostitution through self-help methods. They also advocate for social change through the legal system.
It is exciting to the success of other organizations!
Go here for the full article.
IPP had it’s own success this weekend! IPP was chosen by an OC based women's philanthropy group, Impact Giving, as the recipient of a $30,000 grant for growing IPP sewing centers in India. This is the largest grant Impact Giving has ever awarded and is a tremendous honor for IPP. Pictured below are incoming IPP Executive Director, Julie Wood, Board Chairman Bruce Bartolomeo and a very excited board Vice-Chair, Heather Motichko accepting the award.
Monday News: Sex traffickers arrested at Oceanside, California
Posted on Apr 25, 2011 | 16 COMMENTS
Last week, after an 18-month-long investigation, 38 traffickers were arrested in Oceanside, California. The gang members were recruiting women through social network sites such as Facebook and MySpace. It was reported that over 30 women were found being held against their will, forced with physical violence into prostitution.
See the full report here: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Oceanside-Crips-Indicted-for-Prostitution-Ring-120141174.html?dr
Mother Daughter Stories
Posted on Apr 20, 2011 | 15 COMMENTS
If you haven't been keeping up with the Mother's Day PUNJAMMIE promotion at http://www.punjammies.com, here is a peek at this week's mother/daughter story from India.
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OPPORTUNITIES
Shabnam was a young bride with a new baby girl when her husband died in a farming accident. They had moved to a place far from the village where she grew up so her husband could find work, and now she found herself alone in a place with many strangers. When her husband died, Shabnam faced more than loneliness. For a poor, young widow in rural India, Shabnam knew she and her daughter were in a very vulnerable place and she worked hard to find a solution for them. Shabnam planned to work for two months in the home of one of the landowners until she could save enough money to buy a train ticket, so she and her small daughter to return to her village home.
Opportunities were scarce for a woman, but Shabnam accepted a position doing laundry and polishing floors for a landowner near her home. However, the landowner deceived her and forced Shabnam to work in a brothel. Before she knew it, her world was turned upside down. Her shame was deep as her daughter was forced to grow up with a prostitute mother. It took years for a real opportunity to come along.
Now, Shabnam and her daughter both work at Ashraya Sewing center producing PUNJAMMIES™ and working with other ladies to create a business that they enjoy and are proud of. They laugh together with tears in their eyes as they talk about how thankful they are for a new life.
Monday News: Graduation
Posted on Apr 18, 2011 | 2 COMMENTS
Ten new ladies successfully completed their six week training at the Freedom Center last week. Here are some pictures of these beautiful women as they receive their official graduation papers.
Breaking the Cycle
Posted on Apr 12, 2011 | 16 COMMENTS
BREAKING THE CYCLE
Twenty-seven years ago, Rajani was born in a brothel. Her mother, and her grandmother had neither known life outside of the red-light area. “This is your destiny,” they told her. She knew nothing else of her future except to work for the Madame for whom her mother worked. Madame told her she was growing into a beautiful young lady and sent her to the river at night to play with the other children until morning when they could return home.
Madame determined when Rajani would begin her own work in the brothel. When Rajani protested and begged to go to the river with the other kids, Madame reminded her this was her destiny -- then beat her until she could not remember what happened. Ranjani worked eight years for Madame, and after many lost pregnancies, she eventually had two daughters of her own, who played at the river at night.
This would not be her daughter’s destiny. Rajani had the courage to ask for help from the clinic-doctor who told her of people who could help her get her daughters out.
Rajani’s girls will never know the horrors from which she spared them with her great courage and tenacity. As she stitches and works in the sewing center by day, her girls enjoy school and friends and playing without boundaries. At night, they snuggle close to their mother, and all three sleep in peace.
Monday News: Ashton and Demi
Posted on Apr 11, 2011 | 15 COMMENTS
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are fignting sex slavery with a project called “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls,” a video campaign.
Moore detailed the campaign in her interview with USA Today, “Modern-day slavery is such a complicated issue, but we are trying to do what we can to make men think twice before they engage in this.”
The campaign begins today with the unveiling of a series of off-beat videos featuring Hollywood stars Sean Penn, Justin Timberlake, Bradley Cooper and others.
To read USA Today’s article on the campaign, go HERE. And to watch the videos visit the Demi and Ashton Foundation Facebook page HERE.
