Learning Center Updates
HI, I’m John Das, India Country Director. I joined the team in April of 2024. A big part of my job is to manage the day-to-day operations of the Sonagachi Learning Center, welcoming people, taking care of the partners and staff, and providing support for programs, including the computer training program which are a big part of what we do in the Center. The best part of my job is seeing the smiles on women’s faces the minute they walk inside the building. They feel this is their home and they feel respected. Many of the women who come to us have never felt respected or valued in their life. It is my highest responsibility to make sure that when they come to HFC, they feel that way.
The Learning Center is operating at peak performance, after some challenges at the beginning to gain the trust of the community. The place is full, and it a joy to see it used by so many organizations and freedom businesses. I feel very proud that we could create a unique place in Asia’s first red light area where people can be united and work together hand in hand to fight against poverty, slavery, inequality and human trafficking. Every day around 350-500 kids and women come to the center to learn, work, share ideas and emotions. I see people laugh, shout with joy and sometimes sharing sadness. This is just because they feel safe and they feel they can be who and however they are. Most of the girls don’t have the space to express such emotions at home.
In Kolkata, access to technology is still a major area of inequality. People feel like it is a kind of prestigious thing, and they want to limit access. It becomes kind of a dividing line between rich and poor people. It’s always chargeable and quite expensive. The computer training at the HFC Center is offered in partnership with Uddami India Foundation, made possible by a grant from Guru Krupa Foundation. We are so grateful for this support that makes it possible to provide top quality computer education free of cost for marginalized young people.
Along with the technical training, girls are learning life skills, high level spoken English, and how to cope with the world positively. They are becoming the people that the world wants right now.
Because everyone’s dreams and goals are different, we offer many career training paths. At the Learning Center there is bakery & café management training and a couple of businesses employing survivors: Sari Home and Hridoyer Creations. South Kolkata Hamari Muskan offer training in sewing and beautician, and Vihaan offers sewing and remedial education.
I grew up in a slum community and in my own childhood, I didn’t have access to computer training, or any of these educational resources. I’m happy I can be part of providing that to vulnerable kids. The center has become a place of opportunities for girls to grow and flourish and for women to find a new way of hope. can’t say thanks enough to the people who made it possible.
