dirty
colourful
noisy
vibrant
painful
wonderful
crowded
quirky…
Heat that overwhelms and rain that rushes down
Rubbish and dirt and dust
The impatient honk of car horns
The constant rings of a bicycle
Stray dogs lying about
Even the odd rat scurrying by
Music blaring from the street corner
Children laughing and giggling
Layers of colourful paint peeling
The glistening of vibrant snacks for sale
Interesting alcoves and railings
Patterns and colours of Sari’s and Salwars
The odd smell of things unknown
The undeniable smell of fragrant spices
My first impressions of Kolkata were overwhelming. It was the way I expected but to think and hear about it is nothing to experiencing it in reality. Even though poverty and filth is rife, amidst the pain there is the laughter of children as they greet you passing by or the smile of a shopkeeper pleased with a new friend. Locals tend to live in very cramped and primitive situations and they do anything to survive. Some even sell their very bodies. And that is why I’m here.
Tonight I walked through Sonagacchi – the red light district of Kolkata where 10,000 women stand around at the edge of the streets waiting… Some are in tees and jeans and others in their Sari’s. Some smile at you and others don’t. Yet beneath the smiles there is undeniable pain. For most it is simply survival.
So we visited a young girl and her mother to offer a job at Freeset. The power was off so we climbed a dark maze of steps to her room on the roof using a cellphone as a torch. The room was tiny yet so very typical. Kerry and one of the Freeset Women, Menaka*, talked to them about what it meant to work at Freeset. We were offered lovely chai tea in clay pots and then we headed off back through the streets of Sonagacchi at a time when it was becoming increasingly more active. Dear Menaka held my hand to guide me and protect me. After stopping to greet a few girls we returned and I can’t help but be reminded that this is what it’s all about. Setting women free from such a despicable act of injustice and offering them love, hope and Freedom.
Freeset is such a haven. I still remember that first sight when I looked down from the balcony upon 160 women in their colourful sari’s singing and smiling. And each day it is a joy to look upon their beautiful faces and know that each individual has a story of FREEDOM.
Walking down the main street
Sarah - the Designer whose role I'm replacing
Crossing the street can be challenging!
The Street where I live
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