Before requesting you all to join the fight against human trafficking with me, it is pertinent on my part to share with you why fighting against human trafficking is an integral part of me. Why does it bother me so much? Why am I determined to spend each day working towards it's ultimate demise? After all, you need to make an informed decision in order to embark on this journey with me.
I dream of a sustainable free world for every individual; a world where dignity is considered as important a basic need as food, water and shelter are. I dream of a world which is not built on the foundations of human exploitation but on mutual respect and love for fellow human beings. I dream of a world completely free of human trafficking.
How attainable is my dream? Am I too much of an optimist?
People ask me how attainable is my dream, how practical is it that this world will one day be completely free of human-trafficking? Some even call me too much of an optimist. I partly agree with them. I agree that I am an optimist, but to make this world a better place, we need optimists and not just realists. The reality is disturbing. I know this because I have seen the reality. The reality is not what you see in your college, hanging around with friends; the reality is not what you see in the so-called Reality TV shows and it isn’t there in the AC rooms you go back to when you’re tired after a day’s work in the office. The reality is what you see in the eyes of a girl whom you have just rescued from months of sexual and emotional exploitation; the reality is what you hear in the trembling voice of a mother whose child is nowhere to be found. Reality lies in the talks of those who have been harassed so much that they are afraid of living normal lives, who are so dependent on the people who harass them that being exploited becomes their routine and they are afraid to break out of it. And the reality also lies in words of a survivor of human trafficking, when she talks about the importance of freedom and hope, and how she wants to become a teacher to make this world a better place.
The dream doesn't necessarily die with the individual
The reality which most of the people see is actually a negation of what the reality actually is. It isn’t realistic to talk about human trafficking as an incurable disease, or to consider it as a problem which doesn’t concern us. It is pessimistic to do so. I am not saying that human trafficking will end in my lifetime. Hell, I don’t even know if it will be over in my grandchildren’s lifetime! All I know is that if we all work together, fifty years down the line, when someone asks me or anyone else about the condition of human trafficking in this world, the answer will not include the present count of 36 million people who are victims of slavery worldwide. The count will be relatively less. Gradually, but definitely, the numbers will be gone. We’ll make them go away. I am confident of leaving a safer world in the hands of strong hearted individuals who shall chase my dream after I am gone. After all, the dream doesn’t necessarily die with the individual.
Join me in this noble endeavor!
And you know what? You don’t have to be just a spectator and watch me fight, you can join this fight with me! The best part about development is that all issues are interlinked. And that we all can contribute to the cause without getting out of our comfort zones – learn about the issue, sign online petitions, share helpline numbers, volunteer, teach, donate, ensure no child is employed in your work or home and, most importantly, be empathetic and not sympathetic. Human trafficking isn’t my problem or his problem or their problem, it is OUR problem.
Does the concern for earning a livelihood come in the way of my dream?
Many people think that money would be an issue because this work doesn’t seem like it would pay our bills. Now, let me tell you that money is not an issue. How do I know this? Because of personal experience. I do not hail from an extremely rich family and was, most definitely, not born with a silver-spoon in my mouth. Still, I am about to embark on this new journey of life by starting with a post-graduation in Development at one of the world’s top universities. How? With a fully-funded scholarship. There are people who have money, there are foundations which are ready to give you a scholarship, the NGO’s also pay you enough to take care of the bills. When the sages coined this saying - where there is a will, there is a way - they were not kidding. If you REALLY want to do something, the money comes from weird places you don’t even know existed.
Power of hope and faith
Human trafficking is a big problem, it doesn’t have a one-word answer. Its answer is long, very long. But that’s an issue only if the person answering it is a single individual. If each one of us decides to contribute just a single verse to it, we’ll get the answer written in no time at all. All you have to answer is this: What will your verse be?
Therefore, in this section of the blog, I will write posts which will help you in knowing what we all can do in the fight against human trafficking, without getting out of your comfort zones. I will also share some posts which will highlight stories, videos, photos, helpline numbers and, personal experiences related to the cause, which you can share further. One share can go a long way in saving many lives. We never know when our acts are seen and heard by people who need them the most.
With hope and faith that you will contribute a verse,
Pankhuri :-)
Special thanks to my friend and writer, Mihir Chhangani, for giving words to the voice of my soul, wherever I needed them the most.
How attainable is my dream? Am I too much of an optimist?
People ask me how attainable is my dream, how practical is it that this world will one day be completely free of human-trafficking? Some even call me too much of an optimist. I partly agree with them. I agree that I am an optimist, but to make this world a better place, we need optimists and not just realists. The reality is disturbing. I know this because I have seen the reality. The reality is not what you see in your college, hanging around with friends; the reality is not what you see in the so-called Reality TV shows and it isn’t there in the AC rooms you go back to when you’re tired after a day’s work in the office. The reality is what you see in the eyes of a girl whom you have just rescued from months of sexual and emotional exploitation; the reality is what you hear in the trembling voice of a mother whose child is nowhere to be found. Reality lies in the talks of those who have been harassed so much that they are afraid of living normal lives, who are so dependent on the people who harass them that being exploited becomes their routine and they are afraid to break out of it. And the reality also lies in words of a survivor of human trafficking, when she talks about the importance of freedom and hope, and how she wants to become a teacher to make this world a better place.
The dream doesn't necessarily die with the individual
The reality which most of the people see is actually a negation of what the reality actually is. It isn’t realistic to talk about human trafficking as an incurable disease, or to consider it as a problem which doesn’t concern us. It is pessimistic to do so. I am not saying that human trafficking will end in my lifetime. Hell, I don’t even know if it will be over in my grandchildren’s lifetime! All I know is that if we all work together, fifty years down the line, when someone asks me or anyone else about the condition of human trafficking in this world, the answer will not include the present count of 36 million people who are victims of slavery worldwide. The count will be relatively less. Gradually, but definitely, the numbers will be gone. We’ll make them go away. I am confident of leaving a safer world in the hands of strong hearted individuals who shall chase my dream after I am gone. After all, the dream doesn’t necessarily die with the individual.
Join me in this noble endeavor!
And you know what? You don’t have to be just a spectator and watch me fight, you can join this fight with me! The best part about development is that all issues are interlinked. And that we all can contribute to the cause without getting out of our comfort zones – learn about the issue, sign online petitions, share helpline numbers, volunteer, teach, donate, ensure no child is employed in your work or home and, most importantly, be empathetic and not sympathetic. Human trafficking isn’t my problem or his problem or their problem, it is OUR problem.
Does the concern for earning a livelihood come in the way of my dream?
Many people think that money would be an issue because this work doesn’t seem like it would pay our bills. Now, let me tell you that money is not an issue. How do I know this? Because of personal experience. I do not hail from an extremely rich family and was, most definitely, not born with a silver-spoon in my mouth. Still, I am about to embark on this new journey of life by starting with a post-graduation in Development at one of the world’s top universities. How? With a fully-funded scholarship. There are people who have money, there are foundations which are ready to give you a scholarship, the NGO’s also pay you enough to take care of the bills. When the sages coined this saying - where there is a will, there is a way - they were not kidding. If you REALLY want to do something, the money comes from weird places you don’t even know existed.
Power of hope and faith
Human trafficking is a big problem, it doesn’t have a one-word answer. Its answer is long, very long. But that’s an issue only if the person answering it is a single individual. If each one of us decides to contribute just a single verse to it, we’ll get the answer written in no time at all. All you have to answer is this: What will your verse be?
Therefore, in this section of the blog, I will write posts which will help you in knowing what we all can do in the fight against human trafficking, without getting out of your comfort zones. I will also share some posts which will highlight stories, videos, photos, helpline numbers and, personal experiences related to the cause, which you can share further. One share can go a long way in saving many lives. We never know when our acts are seen and heard by people who need them the most.
With hope and faith that you will contribute a verse,
Pankhuri :-)
Special thanks to my friend and writer, Mihir Chhangani, for giving words to the voice of my soul, wherever I needed them the most.
Those are the words of a noble soul often called as Angel and it seems like you're one of those in the form of human trying to restore the faith of humans in humanity by being what an actual human must be like.
ReplyDeleteEverybody is an angel here, we just need to bring her/him out and fight this evil together! :-)
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