merges design and business to empower women and children living in Kalighat red light destrict, Kolkata, India

New Light, Kalighat, Kolkata, India

 

New Light is located at Kalighat (Ward 83) in Kolkata, a five minute walk from Nirmal Hriday, Mother Teresa's home for the dying destitute. This is one of the oldest red light areas of Kolkata housing sex workers from the city, the districts and neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.

New Light, a secular nonprofit charitable trust, set up a creche-cum-night-shelter to protect and educate young girls, children and women at high risk. The program has been operating for the last six years and provides a safe shelter, educational opportunities, recreational facilities, health care and legal aid for the children, girls and women in their community.

New Light has evolved into a comprehensive community development project with a special thrust at HIV/ AIDS prevention,care and treatment. The demographic composition of New Light consists of women from Kolkata and its districts (70%), from Hindi-speaking areas of the country (20%) and from Nepal and Bangladesh (10%). Women from all religious communities are invited to take part in this program and the ratio is representative of the rest of India.

 

http://www.newlightindia.org/aboutus.html

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