India: Ambassador of the European Union to India visits the Anti-trafficking Project

On February 15, 2011 Mrs. Ambassador Danielle Smadja, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to India visited the Short Term Receiving Facility that is currently being run in Kolkata within Tdh’s anti-trafficking intervention in India titled Protection and Quality of Care Anti Trafficking Action (PAQCA), implemented through its partner Sanlaap. The European Union is one of the key donors to this project. Mrs. Ambassador was accompanied by the Project Manager of the European Union, Mrs. Smita Singh. From Tdh, she was accompanied by the Country Delegate and the Child Protection Officer of the India Delegation.

Mrs. Ambassador was welcomed by the children with garlands and friendship bands that they themselves made for her. She visited the different programmes run within the shelter including the Receiving Facility, the school, tailoring and the block printing unit. She interacted with the children and encouraged them to “do well” in whatever they were doing in the shelter. During her visit to the tailoring unit she was overwhelmed by the products that were on display for sale. These products were mostly block-printed and made by the girls themselves. She made her visit perfect by some handful of shopping from this outlet. She distributed gifts to the children included a torch she reflected that this is the “light that stays for long” implying the efforts to fight against trafficking is long withstanding!

During her parting speech she expressed that “I am honoured to be associated with your work and thank you for supporting the children who need this the most. I hope that you continue to do this great work and be courageous that you are. It is very difficult to hold on to yourself in this very challenging path” when working on such a grave issue as child trafficking.