New Meaning for "Stay in Touch"

Often times we come across survivors who are taking training in shelter homes but want to come out and work. But because of legal issues, or psychological issues, they are not able to leave. So they stay in the home, and we always encourage them to work hard and learn the skill well so that they can get a well-paying job when they leave.

One girl, Ashiya, is one such survivor. She was trafficked from a bordering country and has not been repatriated yet due to some legal issues. She learned blockprinting at the shelter home, and was working in the blockprinting unit when I first met her. I immediately loved this young woman - she is so talented, sweet, very honest, and an amazingly hard worker. Every time I went to the home she would proudly show me the work she had completed for me. When I visited her home country last year, it was her who gave me a list of things to do and see. Over the last two years our relationship has deepened and when she began asking me if she could work at the Destiny center, I instantly said yes. We don't have our own blockprinting unit, but she said she could stitch and would be willing to learn any other skill. I talked with the director of the blockprinting unit and she agreed that if and when Ashiya was ready to leave the center it would be a good idea for her to work with us. 

So imagine my heartbreak when I went to the shelter home about 4 months ago and Ashiya wasn't there. I asked where she was and the staff said that something had happened and that she had been transferred to a different shelter home, far away from the city. I cried that night, because I had no way of getting in touch with her. Sometimes this happens, and the shelter homes have good reason to transfer the women. But it was still very upsetting to think that I couldn't follow through on my promise to hire her.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from Ashiya. I overwhelmed her with questions, "Where are you? How did you get my number?" I had completely forgotten that she once wrote down my phone number in her diary. She told me that she's still living at this other shelter home, but is looking for a job. I told her that of course I'd love to meet with her and discuss the possibilities. So I'm praying that she calls again soon and tells me she's coming to meet!

Another young woman, Jharna, is the first survivor that Sarah Symons met and interviewed when she came to Kolkata. Jharna is extremely bright, and learned stitching and some English. However, she is HIV positive and that makes it extremely difficult for her to be hired by most companies. Last year she had come to Destiny to apply for a job, and we were ready to offer her one in our stitching unit. But because of her illness she couldn't come regularly and it didn't work out. Last week, she called me suddenly and said she was near our office. It was a total surprise, but we welcomed her to come to Destiny. She asked again for a job. However, her health is still not very good; she's visibly weak and thin. So Smarita and I are worried about her commuting to work every day. I actually had to go home and think it over, because on one hand I really want to help this woman with a good job, but at the same time don't want to endanger her health. We decided to offer her a job doing work from home, and bringing it once a week to the office. She has a sewing machine at home, so this seems to be a good option for now. And in a few months if her health improves we can think about taking her full-time in our office. 

These surprise phone calls are always so exciting for me. I never know which women are really serious about working for us, and which ones want to go back to their village and get married. So I pray every day that they do call, that they do come to Destiny and take a job. But I can only offer them the opportunity, give them my phone number, and hope that they stay in touch.