ART OF LIVING has been actively involved in the betterment of the Children Of Sex Workers in Sonagachi for the past eight years. Project Udaan is an initiative to rescue and rehabilitate current child sex workers and at-risk children from the brothels. We will build a residential school away from the brothels. Rescue child sex workers and at-risk children, raise them as our own by providing free food, shelter, clothing, medical help, education, vocational training, and HOPE Project Udaan is a pilot project for the Sonagachi red-light area in Kolkata, for creating a “Safe Haven” under JJ Act for 50 girls, where they can lead a normal childhood, safe from the real dangers of the flesh trade. By setting up a “Safe Home” we will demonstrate that such efforts can be very successful. This will encourage other NGOs to also take up this cause and they will be able to reach out to the remaining 1.2 million such needy children across India Sonagachi, Kolkata, is one of the largest red-light areas in Asia. It is an area with several hundred multi-story brothels an estimated 11,000 sex workers & 14,300 children. Approx. 3,400 children are in the age group of 1 – 10 years. The plan involves building a secure house away from the red light area. Our target age group for the 50 girls to be rescued is 5 – 18 years. We will provide them a safe home, food, clothing, modern education, health care, vocational training & most importantly HOPE
