Each year, millions of women and children are trafficked in India. A child goes missing somewhere in the country every eight minutes. Almost 35,000 children were reported missing in 2011, however it is thought that only a mere 30% of cases are reported. Almost 80% of all worldwide trafficking is for sexual exploitation, with an estimated 1.2 million children being bought and sold into sexual slavery every year. These statistics are both staggering and very real.
To me, having to sell yourself on the street as a method of survival is unacceptable. As a strong woman who has had access to education, it is important to me that women know how to take care of themselves. I grew up working in a homeless shelter from a very young age and saw firsthand that while it gave people food and a place to sleep, no one empowered them or taught them to take care of themselves. No one believed in them or their potential. So many of us are blessed to live in a world where we have access to education and tools with which we can use to better ourselves. It can be difficult to comprehend, as we tend to be so far removed from it, but there are people in the world who can’t just “make it happen”. The lives of these women and children, just like yours and mine, are meaningful and deserving of basic needs and rights.” –Tiffany Cruikshank
We at Yoga Medicine believe that selfless and compassionate service work is essential to our growth both as teachers and human beings. We, as the global community that we are, have a special opportunity to give back to the culturally rich land that has given us so much. As the birthplace of yoga, India and its beautiful people are worthy of our love and service.
We are proud to be offering a Seva, or selfless service, retreat this December 7-16th, 2015, in Kolkata, India. We have teamed up with The Women’s Interlink Foundation to work hand-in-hand with The Nabadisha Project, an organization that serves and prevents the trafficking of 525 kids in 15 shelters. The money we raise will go directly to supporting the day-to-day operations (including maintenance and paying the salaries of the staff) of these shelters that provide children with basic needs such as healthcare, nutritious meals, recreational activities and education.
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means “to join”. When we join together we are powerful beyond measure and have the ability to evoke great change. For more information on how you can support, or to sign up, please visit http://www.yogamedicine.com/india-seva/.