Issues and Trends: Changing Demographics and Diversity

          The global fund for children wrote an article on, “What’s possible when NGOs and police work together to end trafficking. Human trafficking has increased in the US significantly endangering lives. This article caught my attention wanting to see what steps other countries are making towards minimizing this crime. Anagha Khandagle is highly admired for her leads of the rescue operations for the anti-trafficking NGO Purnata. “Living in abject poverty, the woman and her daughter, Sharmila*, had been lured to Kolkata on the false promise of a well-paying job as a housemaid. Upon arriving in Kolkata illegally, they were sold to a brothel-keeper in Mumbai’s Sonapur. Since Sharmila was a minor, the brothel keeper offered to keep her ‘safe’- away from the red-light area-and promised to find employment for her. To her horror, the woman later learned that her daughter had been sold to a similar establishment. Anguished, she came to Purnata for help. This was Anagha’s first taste of prevention and rescue. This became her career path. After working in different capacities in rescue, rehabilitation, and prevention projects, Anagha is no stranger to threats of violence. In Fact, the Founder of Purnata, Aaboo Varghese, describes her as the ‘lion-hearted’ woman of Purnata” (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/). I employ you to visit the website directly to read how a third world country was able to save two lives both a mother and daughter from human trafficking.

            The National Head Start Association, (NHSA) and the Vanessa Rich Leadership Fund gives, “scholarships for the next generation of aspiring Head Start leaders and advocates”. This helps the teachers servicing our children today become more equipped with rendering inclusivity for all in their classrooms. The disaster relief fund affiliated with NHSA is a program that, “assist NHSA member Head Start and Early Head Start programs and their staff and families who become victims of natural disasters” (http://www.nhsa.org/). Hurricane Florence in 2018, “was the most destructive and caused the most fatalities” (wikipedia.org) in the state of NC. While working for the Durham Early HeadStart program I was involved in the support rendered for Florence Hurricane victims. To date, we are still helping families return back to normal almost two years later. NHSA helped all diverse nationalities in need of assistance after the storm. I feel that NHSA shows inclusivity in all that they do which is a perfect example to follow.

             The NHSA and global fund for children are both changing the demographics and diversity of the world today through their programs and hard work. 

References

National Head Start Association. (n.d.). http://www.nhsa.org/

The Global Fund for Children: An organization that provides capital to communities worldwide to improve the lives of children. http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/