Human trafficking is the second-largest and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Trafficking includes recruiting, transporting, harboring, and receiving people for the purpose of exploitation. Arguably, the worst form of human trafficking is sex trafficking. Though no country is immune to sex trafficking, India finds itself right at the crossroads of this problem. According to UN estimates, 40% (920,000) of India's prostitutes are children.

Since its inception in 1994, Rescue Foundation has rescued over 1,300 trafficked girls from brothels in Mumbai, India. Most of these girls had been tricked, coerced, or forced into prostitution in order to pay back a debt that they theoretically incurred onto their “owner.” Once they have confirmed a lead that there are trafficked underage girls inside, Rescue Foundation raids the brothel. Rescue Foundation’s executive director Triveni Archura goes on each raid, individually talking to the girls and offering each girl a chance at a new life through rescue, rehabilitation, and reintigration.

Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom emerged from Triveni’s desire to launch a floriculture business at Rescue Foundation's largest rehabilitation compound, where they house over 100 girls. The majority of the girls come from villages where agriculture is the major source of livelihood. Not only will growing and selling champa flowers contribute to the foundation's existing programs, but more importantly, the business offers the rescued girls relevant agribusiness skills, a revenue-generating job, and a growing sense of confidence.  This business may prove to be one of the most essential parts of their reintegration. Ultimately, girls at Rescue Foundation will cultivate freedom as they cultivate flowers.

 

Rescue Foundation itself proposed the Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom project. Since its establishment in 1995, the foundation has assisted over a thousand sex trafficking victims. They work to provide rescued girls with skills to help reintegrate them into society. Since many girls are from rural areas, Rescue Foundation has implemented numerous agriculture businesses on their 46 acre rehabilitation compound. The foundation has been awarded various large grants and has proven itself fiscally responsible. Their enthusiasm in conjunction with their prior experience with agriculture businesses and fiscal viability make this project very do able.

Rescue Foundation's proposed team for the floriculture business consists of a small management team who will be allocating resources and establishing the business, two resident farmers who will provide the agriculture expertise and training, and approximately 100 rescued girls who will have the opportunity to care for, harvest, and sell the champa flowers to earn wages. In addition to proposing a team, a nursery in Mumbai has already committed to purchase a large portion of the flowers once they are grown and harvested.

The potential impact of Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom is tremendous. This project will provide many girls at Rescue Foundation with a part-time job that requires a new level of responsibility and gives them an opportunity to earn wages. They will acquire new skills in agribusiness and floriculture. Armed with the confidence and practical experience of running a business, girls will be given seeds to start their own small business growing the same flowers when they complete their stay at Rescue Foundation.

 

Rescue Foundation will also be able to use some of the profits to expand their operations and become less dependent on donors, enabling them to impact even more victims of sex trafficking.

Hindus make up 80.5% of the Indian population—approximately 941,850,000 people. Most Hindu festivals and holidays use flowers. With 30+ Hindu festivals and holidays in a calendar year, the flowers are always in high demand. Since the chompa flower blooms throughout the year, this business cultivates a product that can continue to be grown and sold anywhere in India and neighboring countries, where many of Rescue Foundation's girls will return.

Since Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom is based on a sustainable business model, the project's profits will be able to cover the start-up costs plus pay the girls running it in the first year of implementation. Rescue Foundation plans to raise enough funds in the next three years to expand the project and push themselves into a larger international market. Already having the land and space to grow and being seated right outside of a major exporting city will make them competitive in the international flower market.

 

 

 

 

 

Triveni is the president of Rescue Foundation. She and her husband Balkrishna Acahrya started the organization in 1995. Since it’s inception, they have rescued over 1,300 girls. Triveni personally goes on each brothel raid and talks to the girls, trying to convince them to leave with her. She has received many prestigious awards including the Stree Shakti from Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the president of ruling United Progressive Alliance Party in India. Currently, Triveni manages the Rescue Foundation staff of more than 50 people and was responsible for instigating Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom.

Mahesh is a project manager at Rescue Foundation. He works with fundraising for the organization and has helped with a lot of the logistical support for the Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom project.

The India team consists of 12 college students and recent graduates who have chosen to spend their summer doing development work in India. They wrote the Cultivating Flowers, Cultivating Freedom proposal and are acting as intermediaries in this project.