Your Rotary Donation Made This Possible

From Rotary District 6270 Website

Several years ago at the International Conference in Australia, two members from the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery and Trafficking gave a presentation about slavery in India and around the world. They specifically talked about a village in Pradesh, India.  

The total population of the hamlet was 400 – 132 of them were enslaved and others were at risk of debt bondage because of dire poverty. Only 203 individuals in the community knew how to write their name and most were illiterate and innumerate. Five children were enrolled in school but did not attend as they work with their parents instead.  Their economic condition was dire. People were landless, and enslaved in debt bondage at the slaveholder’s farm doing construction projects or working in brick kilns. Some family members including children have been trafficked to other states.

After the conference representatives from The Rotary Club of Binghamton met with Carol Metzger one of the presenters at the conference and with the help of an organization call School4Freedom was able to apply for a district international grant to help the village two years ago. 

The following progress report was recently sent.

The School4Freedom in India process is now underway – a school is built, kids are attending (some from families who are illiterate and innumerate), a solar streetlamp has been installed, hot lunches are being served and six kids were rescued from slavery in a brick kiln and are now attending the school. The rest of the village is slowly being educated so they are ready to demand their own freedom and be self-sufficient at the end of the 3-year process.

Your Rotary donation made this possible. 

Thank you.