Teaching art to Delhi’s red light children
Spring, 2014. Arriving in Delhi I immediately knew this was a city like no other. The night were drenched in noise, penetrating smells and huge crowds. Although there were two cars to pick us and our luggage up I was too terrified to let my family split up. I sat on the floor of a Toyota Innova with our 2-year-old on my lap. After 24 hours of sleepless travel I was delirious. I believed every horn were directed at us as we swerved through dark, derelict streets. I hung onto my son for dear life as we skipped intersections and drove over broken pavements. My husband signed a year contract but I wasn’t sure we would survive. For weeks and months that followed all my senses were on overdrive 24/7 and nothing was wat it seems. Did we fall down a rabbit hole?
Despite the initial shock, we gradually did learn to survive. In fact, without realizing it, little by little I learned to like and eventually to love and adore crazy Delhi. I got to know the beautiful women in their colorful saris pushing garbage trolleys as their bangles rang with every step, the toothless flower wallah on the corner selling me bunches of white tuberose for $1 -the rich smell filled every corner of our apartment. I came to understand the fast pulse of the city with its magnitude of cultures, customs and people. Delhi was many things but never ever, even for a split second dull or boring.
Wanting to volunteer a friend suggested that I visit SMS Center, a small children’s shelter in the heart of Delhi’s most notorious red light area. At this point I did not know what dire circumstances or stigma these mothers or their children faced. I did not yet understand India as a significant source, destination, and transit country of human trafficking or that there are over 3500 sex workers in GB road, Delhi (according to India Today). I haven’t yet heard the stories of these mothers being exploited, sold, raped and outcasted. But even in that very first visit I fell in love with the precious children of SMS center and was moved by their joy, enthusiasm and excitement. Most of all I was moved by Lalitha Nayak, the fierce force I came to admire behind this shelter that she build, fighting for these children for over 25 years with little to no outside support.
In the years to come I learned how high the odds were stacked against the 65+ children calling SMS center home. How unlikely it was for them to be accepted into society regardless of their innocence. I got to know their mothers by name and heard stories of violence, shame and deceit. In the small hours of the mornings I would lie wishing that I could somehow help them escape these dire circumstances. Although I knew I could not set these children free I was hoping, perhaps I could free their imagination. Allow them to dream. Right away I started teaching two weekly art classes. I came to appreciate their affection, imagination and talent. These precious little ones were absorbing knowledge and brought to life like them, the most beautiful creations. But sadly over time I also learned of more challenges including malnutrition.
I was joined by two wonderful woman, Lisa Akerman and Jillian Nagory and together we started an initiative “heART for hope”. Aware of SMS’ children’s talent and needs we decided to bring these cast away children out of the red light area, a place many of them have never left and show their beautiful work to the outside world. Together with World Children’s Day in 2016 the ‘heART for hope’ exhibition opened its doors to a sold out exhibition. The young artists performed and the support was far beyond all expectations.
To have the privilege to teach the beautiful children has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Lisa, Jill and I were amazed to see the steep learning curve these little souls were capable of. The exhibition also set the groundwork for several other projects that followed including a computer center that opened a few months after. The Road outside SMS center may be very different than ours but I no longer believe it is a road of no return but a road with possibilities of a brighter tomorrow.
2020. Although I am no longer in Delhi the art, craft and skill building classes lead by Lisa Akerman continues with a growing number of volunteers. And Lalitha Nayak is still courageously fighting on behalf of those too young to do so themselves.
