Helping hands being extended for offsprings of prostitutes

Bristy(left), Farjin and Jolly.

DHAKA,  Bangladesh —  Maria, Rabbi, Jolly, Farjin and Bristy are some of the names of kids getting special care away from their mothers. They do not know  who are  their  fathers  but   know  only  mothers living  in  the  red light area  and  two female  teachers  who are  taking  care of them at the early learning centre outside. 

Maria(left) and Rabbi.

A  total 60 children including 35 girls from the red light area are  getting  pre-school education and care at  the early learning  centre   run by a local NGO  in  the  district  town  of  Tangail, 86 kilometres north-west of  Bangladesh’s  capital  Dhaka.

For  over  a decade, the Society for Social Service (SSS), has been engaged in helping  the  God’s children,  the offspring of the  women  selling  their  body as  registered  sex workers  in the country’s  second biggest  brothel  in Tangail.

“Our  idea  is  to eradicate  the curse  of  flesh trading by rehabilitating  the sex workers, stop new recruits in the business and  break  the cycle  by  motivating  the inmates of  Kandapara brothel  not to  engage  their  daughters in  the  profession”, said  Abdul Hamid Bhuiyan, Executive Director of  SSS.

After  the  initial efforts, SSS  found  it  difficult  to break  the barriers created  by  local administration and  the  influential quarters, including political leaders of  the locality.  

It  is  an  open  secret  that a  big  amount, almost five to six laks  Taka (about 7.5 thousand  dollar) a month,   go to  the  pocket  of  the  influential  people  in  the town  through the  agents and  touts from the  Kandapara brothel that  houses nearly 900 registered sex workers. Since  it  is  a big  income,  the  people  at  the  helm of  authority  patronises the sex  business,  keep it  running at the cost of the body of helpless women.   

SSS  tried  to  rehabilitate  some  of  the women of  older age outside  by providing  loan  and  shelter. But  they were  chased  by  their clients and the so called  “Baboo”  who exploit  the woman and lives  on her  income in  the name  of  giving protection.  

SSS  also  provided  loans  to  inmates  of  Kanapara brothel on  easy  term  that  helped  the poor  women  get  rid  of  the  exploitation of  money lenders. They  need  money  to maintain her  livelihood  particularly when  they are  sick or  pregnant  and  can not  afford  to  entertain clients.

Mirza Rafeza Khatun, a teacher of the early learning centre, feeds children wih her hand.

By now, the SSS have revised its strategy. They have decided  to protect  the offspring, particularly  the girls born  in  the red light  area  with  a risk  of  getting  involved  in  the  disgraceful profession  of  their  mother when grown up.

 “We  are  working  with  the  3.5 ~ 5  age  group  of  children  of  the sex workers by providing them care and education at  pre-school. We  have been also providing shelter to adolescents at  safe  home, giving  them  education  and  skill training so that  they  can  rehabilitate  themselves in a dignified  life”, said MA Latif Mia, who  is  in  charge  of  the  children’s programme.

In  two shifts, starting  from 9 am  till 4.30 pm,  two female  teachers  teach  the  kids  basic cleanliness, hygiene practice, and primary lessons of  alphabets and  rhymes  through playing, demonstrations,  acting and pictures.

Mirza Rafeza Khatun, a teacher of the early learning centre, is treated by her minor students as more like a mother than a teacher.  “Apart from all the games and funs in teaching class, I clean them by cutting their nails, feed the meal their mothers provide them.   “Many of them do not take food if I don’t feed with my hand,” said the affectionate Rafeza Khatun adding that they are more vibrant, lively and emotional than normal family children.

When their mothers start preparation for entertaining clients from mid-day, their children are taken care of at nearby school room.  The  kids  keep busy  in funs  and  games, take meal  in time and  enjoy one  hour  break  for sleep after  lunch,  a smiling Rafeza Khatun said. 

“ The  SSS provides  primary health care  to  the children  free  of  cost  but  in case  of  any major  illness the mothers are asked  to buy  the medicine”,  she added. 

After  completion  of  the pre-primary schooling,  some  of  the  children get  admitted  to  a regular primary school, also  set  by  SSS  in  the  area. Some go to religious school (Madrasa) as per mother’s wish. Some others are rehabilitated in the children’s safe shelter established at a far away village.

The SSS  thus  succeeded  to  bring  the  kids  out   their  disgraceful  situation, help them  get  basic  education  and  rehabilitate   in  a normal social life.

“In  certain  level,  we could  break  the  cycle by  creating  a  social  support  and acceptance for the kids who otherwise have been neglected and cursed  to social crimes”,  said  Abdul hamid Bhiya. оформить дебетовую карту через интернет