The Aruna Project – Oasis India
In Mumbai Oasis identified the need to begin work with women in prostitution. The girls hail from all over India and neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Most of them come there against their will, with thousands coming from Nepal every year, often as young as twelve years of age. A feasibility study by Oasis India in 1997 showed that these girls are grossly abused and instilled with fear so they soon learn to trust no one. By the time they have paid off the debt (the sum paid for them by the brothel owners) they are in theory free, but the stigma of what has happened to them means that they can not go home. They are often illiterate, uneducated and have no skills. They have poor access to health care, and studies show that 41 - 47% are HIV positive (Bhave et al 1995). When the girls reach their early twenties their ability to attract customers dwindles, as customers prefer younger girls, believing that they are less likely to be HIV positive. For those who are HIV positive, when they can no longer hide their HIV status, they normally end up on the street, where often the only choice they have is to beg.
Zarine was born in Calcutta, to a Muslim family. The family owns a lot of land around Calcutta. Zarine has two brothers and two sisters. Her father’s second wife poisoned Zarine’s mother. After her mother’s death, Zarine went to live with her sister and brother-in-law. Soon she was married at just 10 years old. She constantly had problems with her mother-in-law and she decided to leave them and go back to her sister’s house. At a festival when she was dancing, a woman spotted her and offered her a job in the city. Zarine was only too glad to accept since it gave her a chance to get away from her problems. But in no time she found herself in a flat in Bombay forced into prostitution. She was forced to comply with the clients and when she refused she was given electric shocks. Finally she gave in. Zarine has been in Bombay for almost 9 yrs now. She is 21 yrs old now and has been abused for almost half her lifetime.
A Ray of Hope: The Aruna team first met Zarine in November 1998. In February 1999, a good two-way relationship had begun with Zarine. In May 1999, she joined the Aruna team as a peer educator. Around the same time she was given an invitation to come to a church camp. Her life changed at the camp where the Lord touched her in a powerful way. She gave her life to Jesus. In the weeks that followed she battled with questions regarding Islam, Christianity, prayer, purity and more. She made up her mind to leave the area and approached the staff for help. Finally after almost 3 months, Zarine was able to leave prostitution, when Purnata Bhavan accepted her. For a year and a half Zarine lived at Purnata Bhavan. From there she joined a 6-month Discipleship Training School run by YWAM where she received a vision to serve God in Bangladesh. In 2001 she joined the Aruna Halfway Home care team as a residential caregiver. Currently she is working with the Aruna Project as a Community Worker. Zarine has been instrumental in touching many lives of girls trapped in prostitution.
Written by Accamma Varghese Oasis India (supplied by Oasis UK)
