Help Stop Girl Trafficking

[Guest guest]

Namaste to All:

 

As regular readers of the Group know, I am not one to go bothering

people for donations to my pet charities -- but in this case, I'm

going to make a rare and important exception, and tell you about an

especially important effort I hope you'll consider assisting.

 

For the past few years, I've been involved in an effort of

Plan/Childreach to help stop the trafficking of girl children in

Nepal and to aid in the rescue and rehabilitation of the child

victims. This is a direct-aid project: Every dollar of every gift

goes directly toward the program; *no* portion is used to cover

administrative costs at Plan/Childreach(a highly reputable child

assistance organization; its U.S. headquarters is located about five

miles from my home, and they are good, honest, dedicated people).

 

This is an extraordinary project for Plan, addressing a reality

facing thousands of girl children in Nepal's destitute rural

communities. An unbelieveable number of innocent girls -- children as

young as age 9 -- are working against their will today in Indian

brothels, forced into a life of prostitution, sexual abuse, torture,

and deadly disease.

 

Plan's Girl Trafficking Project, first piloted in 1996, has become a

model for international cooperation and grassroots community work,

initiated and carried out by members of the local community, around

an immensely sensitive and deep-running issue. Your gift, should you

choose to make one (in absolutely any amount, large or small) will

help provide:

 

* Rescue of abducted girls, carried out with the help of Indian

police;

 

* Health care and housing for rescued girls;

 

* Literacy, job and skills training;

 

* Intensive counseling to reintegrate the girls into their families

and communities;

 

* Alternative ways of generating income for the girls and their

families;

 

* Education within the communities about the risks and realities of

girl trafficking; and

 

* Advocacy and lobbying to stop the trade at the highest levels of

government.

 

I know that there are thousands (if not millions) of worthy causes

out there, all competing for our compassion and assistance -- and all

of us at Shakti Sadhana encourage you to help make this world a nicer

place in whichever ways your heart may guide you. I merely mention

this program as an extremely praiseworthy effort that is very much in

keeping with the values and principles of Shakti Sadhana.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

P.S. For further information, the story of one girl in the program,

and a secure online donation page, please visit:

 

http://www.childreach.org/news/girltraffic.html