It's been a full week since I've been back in India and it's been a whirlwind of emotions and memories. I've seen familiar faces that I've missed dearly and it feels good to be back in the company of such amazing people. On my first day back at the jewelry program the girls threw me a surprise welcome back party with balloons, confetti, streamers and candy! I was also treated to several performances of dance and song and was eventually pulled into the fun and danced along with them. It was one of the best days of my entire life and one I will remember and think about often for as long as I live. It made me realize how much of an impact someone can have on another persons life, even in a small amount of time. They have become a second family for me and it's a relationship I will cherish forever. 

This week Becky Bavinger, Co-Founder of Destiny/Reflections and TEN's representative in India is coming back to the United States after 3 years of living and working in India. Becky has done an amazing job of positively impacting the lives of hundreds of people that she has come in contact with over the years and her impact will be felt for a very long time to come. Words can not express how invaluable and successful Becky has been and we at TEN/Made By Survivors consider ourselves lucky to have had her partnership. This weekend, as Becky takes the next step in her journey at NYU this fall, we want to take some time to honor her and the work she has done.

Today was one of those days where I just wanna take hold of Kolkata and scream at her. This is a very rough city and it gets to you after awhile, especially when it gets hot. Being that today was Saturday I really just wanted to chill out and have a nice relaxing day. Of course thats almost an impossible task to accomplish in this city. 

 In a few days I'm headed back to India and I find myself bursting at the seams with that anxious anticipation that always precedes something exciting and challenging. Getting there and getting re acclimated to the rhythm of Kolkata is going to be tough but I'm ready for it. I'll probably be eating those words in the near future when the city inevitably starts to wear me down but for now I'm psyched, re energized and ready to take the city on. 

The beginning of the year is always an exciting time full of fresh starts and renewed energy, but here at TEN it takes on an extra special meaning. This is the time of the year when we take a group of volunteers over to India to visit some of our projects and partners working to support survivors of trafficking; and if your lucky to be one of those volunteers you'll never be the same again.

Recently the survivors at our Destiny Center began branching out from just stitching and sewing to also designing - coming up with ideas for bags, wallets, key chains, and various other items. It's the next logical step in their evolution of gaining independence and it highlights how talented these girls are and how bright their futures are with the right support.

Yesterday I visited a child care home that is operated by Women's Interlink Foundation (WIF) and it was a very inspiring experience. WIF is an organization that T.E.N has supported throughout the years and it has many successes to speak of. It was started by a wonderful women named Alooka that has been fighting the good fight for over four decades. In this time they have managed to set up shelter homes all around Kolkata that house and take care of literally hundreds of girls (and some boys) of all ages. They take care of all the needs of these girls from shelter, food and health to education and job training. It was a beautilful and energizing sight to behold.

Kolkata has taken on a very different feel over the last few weeks with the onset of the monsoons. The air is cooler thanks to the daily downpours and they are a welcomed relief beyond anything I can put into words. Everyday it rains for either part of the day or for the entire day and this brings a renewal of the spirit that his hard to describe. You see the heat of Kolkata, during the summer, is extremely oppressive. It makes you so lazy, cranky, and tired that the thought of even walking to the corner store becomes a chore you have to think twice about.

Recently Destiny reached the one year mark and another volunteer sat down with the girls and had them talk about how that time here has affected them. It was good to hear about how they feel they've changed or grown, but it was also sad to hear about the situations that led them here in the first place. One of the girls told her story and I shall recount it here for you so you can hear for yourself how things have changed for some of them.

Trafficking has become such a sophisticated and manipulative force that it's very hard for women and girls to even know they are in danger. By the time they do, it's almost always too late. They're in and trapped with little hope of getting out. The thing that scares me is the fact that the people at the top of these organizations are everyday people like you and me. They are businessmen that are very wealthy and have a good standing in the public. Very few people know their real side or agenda and in fact when you go out to eat, for instance, you could be having dinner with or near any one of them without even knowing. That's how widespread and deep this issue goes. That's why this issue has become such a hard one to put an end to. Listen to these examples and see what I mean.