It was a Children's Day celebration unlike any other, by children of prostituted women from Mumbai's red-light district. While they had gathered together to start a science club inaugurated by additional commissioner of police Krishna Prakash, who even conducted a science quiz, their coming together also underlined the special needs of this special children that the organisation Prerana tries to address.
"Before Prerana began the night crèche 26 years ago, we were forced to feed opium to our children and put them to sleep under cots where we entertained clients," said Tulsi, a mother whose 20-year-old son Praful is now working and has rented a house in Kalyan. "He's taking me out of this profession and area. I still can't believe it."
Praful says that he considers Prerana his home since he grew up here. "I remember sleeping at the Kamathipura centre crèche and waking up, bathing and getting ready to go to school from there," he told dna. "If I face any problem or setback, my feet automatically draw me back to Prerana for support and succour."
Older children like Praful naturally are looked up to by the younger ones, who see the benefits of their education. A shy Ashim, 7, still too young, is among them. "I want to be a movie star and buy a big house for my mother," he grinned confidently, unmindful of a missing incisor.
Prerana founder Preeti Patkar told dna, "When it came to Children's Day celebrations, we asked the children what they wanted to do, and they suggested a Science Club. Science and technology is not the preserve of a select few and can be used to do a lot of good. We want the children to pick that up with this activity."
Volunteer Abhishek Pai pointed out how a bunch of IIT alumnus based out of the US were slated to interact with the children at Prerana via Skype. "We want more such volunteers to come forward and help us. This will help in making the children more integrated with the mainstream," he said.
AddlCP Krishna Prakash too enthused the children saying: "No one can make you feel inferior till you let him to."
Prerana began working with the sex-workers' communities in 1986 to stop second generation trafficking into sex trade. One of the first organisations to initiate care and support activities to protect women and children from red-light areas, it currently runs projects in three red-light areas, which have night crèches, education support programmes, institutional placement and a 24x7 emergency shelter for girls.
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