Navigating the busy hotel with grace and poise, Payal strides confidently down the polished corridors of a prestigious 5-star resort. Her reflection in the hallway mirror catches her attention. “I am beautifully and wonderfully made.” She says to herself – finally believing it to her core. A flood of gratefulness brings a gentle comfort as she recounts what her life could have been had you not helped her escape the red-light districts of Mumbai.
At a young age Payal’s mother, a sex worker, recognized the harm Payal faced if she stayed with her. The constant stream of dangerous men in their home was no environment a little girl should have to grow up in. So her mother bravely brought her to the India Partner’s safe house to be raised in safety.
The safe house became an extended family that loved and took care of her. She grew up there without danger of exploitation and abuse, education was a right, not a privilege, and her growth was nurtured holistically.
In her teenage years, she discovered she had a gift of hospitality. A remarkable individual, Payal excels in art & craft, cooking & baking, and event organization. As the eldest among 15 girls in the home, she wore responsibility like a badge of honor, assisting house parents and caring for her younger sisters with tenderness.
When she turned 18, Payal transitioned to an aftercare home where she continued her education and earned her Diploma in Hotel Management.
Today, as Payal delicately places pastries in perfect rows for her hotel guests, she smiles. Her life is more than she could have ever dreamed. It’s all thanks to the generous support you gave to help rescue her as a child from the red-light districts of India.
