By Dave Sarabia:
Josephine Tan gives trafficked sex slaves in Kolkata hope, by offering them refuge, dignity and alternative work making soap. Her business empowers the women and gives them a fresh start.
"No photography" is the first sign that greets guests when they visit the Touch Nature soap factory in Kolkata.
Josephine, the founder, is sensitive about having visitors mix with the dozen or so women who work there.
Most of them are still reeling from having been tricked or forced, and trafficked into sex work.
The women are shy towards newcomers, but after two days, Josephine lets me eat lunch with them, and they welcome me warmly.
One of them, Maiya, agrees to show her face on camera. When I ask why, she says it's "so that Josephine didi (sister in Nepali) can help more ladies like me".
I also notice that Maiya keeps saying the word "préma" to Josephine during the interview. Later I ask the interpreter and find out that it is the Nepali word for love.
Maiya had been saying that she had felt Josephine's love since the first time that they met, and she was very thankful to her.
Préma is very evident when one of the ladies invites a friend to visit the factory during a tea break. The friend, who has been working as a prostitute, asks if she can work at the soap factory.
Josephine explains what they do, the lady agrees to the conditions and she is welcomed with much warmth.
It is this préma, this love for others, that I keep seeing in my time at Touch Nature. It touches the hearts of the women like Maiya, and gives them renewed courage.
This article has been republished from Our Better World.
How You Can Help
You can buy the soap that the women of Touch Nature make through their online store Prema Touch and help Josephine to continue offering refuge, work and dignity to those tricked or forced into sex slavery.
The post How A Soap Factory Is Giving Sex Workers From Kolkata Hope, And A Better Life appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz.
