A Woman Who Earns… In India – and in the majority of the world – a woman who earns has more power and respect in her family and community. For women coming out of exploitation, or who are high risk, it is especially important to have the means for financial independence; Poverty is a major … Read more
Kenya & Nepal Kenya – Sowing New Seeds In July, I had the joy of co-leading HFC’s first-ever immersion trip to Kenya. It was a great success. Background: Last summer, we launched partnerships with two organizations working to protect girls from sexual and gender-based violence in Kenya. We chose to expand into Kenya because it’s … Read more
Regional Expansion – Kenya We are excited to share that we are expanding our work into Kenya, working – as usual – with exemplary local leaders and partner organizations. Kenya, like South Asia is a global hotspot for sexual and gender-based violence. Our work in Kenya is starting with support of a school-based rescue shelter, … Read more
Computer Training & Digital Literacy – a Path to a Brighter Future Sitamaya comes from a family where men are the providers and decision makers. When her father died suddenly just after she graduated high school, it felt like a nightmare as he was her biggest champion. He had been the only breadwinner of the … Read more
There are several aspects of my job that I enjoy. One is seeing how much someone can change over the course of a short six months. The other joy is to have the privilege of walking alongside people over time. We know most any change takes time. Deep lasting change, the change that is breaking … Read more
“We are seeking a person to help establish and initiate an English tutoring program for a range of ages in our new Learning Center in Kolkata” through the Felix Fellowship was the beginning of a wonderful adventure and opportunity to travel to India. I was awarded the Fellowship in June then the summer was spent … Read more
What a day! What a week! What a great six months! What a year! The training of the first batch of seven women is officially complete! We made it and are here to tell the tales. There are too many stories to capture the nuances, the experiences, the lessons, and the love of the past … Read more
For me, one of the most exciting things about our new Learning Center (in Kolkata’s Sonagachi red light area) is the focus on computer training and digital literacy. Because Our Girls Want IT! In the early years, HFC offered training and employment for trafficking survivors in rescue shelters, mostly in artisan crafts (our name was … Read more
View PDF version of 2023 Trip Report and images here> In February, I traveled to India and Nepal with other staff and members of our community to check in on programs and spend time with the women and girls. This time, unlike the trip report I normally write, I want to share some very personal … Read more
What a month! From day one, we have had such adventures and experiences. From sari clad puja pandal hopping, prepping and serving multiple lunches for 25 American guests, prepping and serving food for 100 guests at the inauguration ceremony for the HFC training center and sending the ladies on a three day Baking Adventure; it … Read more