Day 9

Our first full day on placement with an NGO based in Mumbai. Along with four others I am with Perana, an organisation who work with 2nd and 3rd generation children of prostitutes in Mumbai's notorious red-light districts. Having been to one of Perana's centres in Kamathipura yesterday, we went to another centre in the Falkland Road area this morning. After an informative but disturbing talk with one of Perana's staff about the trafficking of women from Bengal and Bangladesh and the treatment of the women by their pimps and brothel owners, we went for a community visit. The staff do these twice a day, and thus are well known within the red light areas. The staff took us up to one of the brothels. Only girls were allowed in. In a tiny, square room four single beds were pushed against the walls. The were where the women work, sleep and live.

In the afternoon we visited the government Child Welfare Centre, of which there are two in Mumbai. Here around 450 children were housed while the committee decides whether to return then to their parents or place them in a government care institution. These children have been rescued from child labour, forced begging or prostitution during police raids. We were shown the Ganpati that the children had made and decorated for the Ganpati festival. The boys got us chairs, gave us food and watched curiously. The girls, who are in a separate compound, either bounded over to us eagerly ass we entered or watched shyly from a distance.

From the harsh realities of life for some of Mumbai's most unfortunate residents we were whisked away by air conditioned coach to a dinner reception at the exclusive International Cricket Club. Following a traditional temple dance performance and speeches by some eminent figures involved in the organisation of the programme, we ate a delicious Indian buffet dinner and engaged in conversation with our Indian counterparts. Fitting for Mumbai, it was truly a day of contrasts.

(Claire Turner)