Activities and services we offer the 741 Women enrolled with us now...

1. Membership of Resource Centre and Identity Card
By becoming a beneficiary of our resource centre, women can use our facilities and participate in our activities as well as inter-organisational programmes. We also give our girl beneficiaries (Sparrows) ID cards.

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2. Drop-in-centre
Beneficiaries use our Drop-in-Centre as a space of their own to sleep, meet and relax. This they are deprived of in their own brothels.

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3. Ration cards
Arguably the most important document for an Indian, this card gives the holder access to subsidized food grains. The government of India runs this service to support the poor.

- To get essential grains and kerosene at cheaper rates than in the open market
- As proof of self identity and child's identity
- As proof of citizenship
- As proof for inclusion in the electoral list
- To open bank accounts

As they fall in neither the organised nor unorganised sector, initially, women in prostitution were not entitled to ration cards. We are now able to acquire ration cards for our beneficiaries, especially the illiterate ones. Out of our 741 beneficiaries, over 350 have ration cards ( till April, 2007 ).

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4. Voters cards
The right to vote is every citizen's fundamental right. When one of our women contested elections, we hoped that she would be able to raise her community's issues. But, she lost badly as her supporters couldn't vote for her without voter cards.

Now, 50 members have voter's cards.

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5. Micro-savings
These women are discriminated against because of their profession. With no safe place to keep their money, they used to spend it all on the same day. When in need of money, they took loans with high interest rates from local moneylenders. This made them remain in debt for long.

AAWC set up a Self Help Group (SHG) - Apni Bachat with the women beneficiaries. At present about 300 beneficiaries avail this service.

AAWC also succeeded in getting women's accounts opened in a nearby branch of Bank of India and Bank of Maharashtra. We give the required undertaking for all our beneficiaries.

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6. Special Adult Education
Many of the women are illiterate, and so we try to counsel and convince them to educate themselves. Since it is not possible for them to frequent our centre, we hold sessions with them on our field visits to their homes in the red light area.

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7. Post Rescue Operation
Once a woman is rescued from a brothel, a series of legal and many other forms of aid are provided to the woman consistently, and without delay.

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8. Group Formation and Group Dynamics
We recognize the need to break their isolation and try to mobilize them to demand rights as mainstream citizens. Group building plays a crucial role here by helping them unite to fight for one another.

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9. Exit strategy
AAWC helps these women avail of the relevant government schemes. These schemes offer financial help for small business start ups, etc. If these are not enough, personal loans are arranged.

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10. Job Placement Assistance
Women who are interested in certain fields are provided with the proper training and job placement assistance. While recruiting staff, AAWC gives beneficiaries first preference.

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11. Peer Education Programme

Women from the community are trained in AAWC and they in turn educate and create awareness among their friends and co-workers.

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12. Escort
Often these women want to return to their villages to see that their family and children are well looked after. Sometimes having to fight to take their children back with them, AAWC ensures they are escorted on these visits on request. We also escort them to court during legal cases.

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13. Social Reintegration
AAWC happily arranges for the integration and reintegration of its beneficiaries into mainstream society. Often the women want to quit their profession forever and permanently settle in their village. For this, we seek help from local NGOs.

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14. First-aid
At our centre, we provide First Aid for small injuries.

Direct queries to outreach@apneaap.info

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