Bani Das was in her early twenties, a newcomer to Mumbai and a single mother, when she began to work with a non-profit that required her to visit women in prison. Through her work, she meets Robin Chaurasia, an Indian-American woman also working as a volunteer in India.
In 2010, Robin and Bani set up Kranti, a non-profit dedicated to the higher education, employment, and long-term prospects of teenagers who were either daughters of sex workers from Kamathipura or themselves survivors of trafficking.
A few years ago, Kranti’s work came to light when one of their beneficiaries became the first Indian girl from a red-light area to study abroad and was also named in a Newsweek list of 25 Under 25.
Kranti now supports 25 young women, aged 13 to 23, including six who are studying abroad, through funds raised by Robin and Bani.
Seeking to break away from a tradition of teaching girls from difficult backgrounds to earn a living by selling pickles and papad, Kranti gives the girls a place to live in Mumbai and uses therapy, theatre, travel, workshops, and spirituality to help the girls tap their best potential.
