Kase:Web/Charity

We at Kalin Setterberg have gotten to know Kailash Satyarthi and are truly inspired by his work. Kailash is working against exploitative child labour in general and child slavery in particular. He is working both in his home country India and internationally. Internationally, he works with UN and other organisations, in India with BBA (Save The Childhood). He founded BBA in 1980 and has since freed more than 80 000 Indian children from slavery. During these rescue raids three of his co-workers have been killed and he himself has been subject to severe physical violence three times. Yet he carries on tirelessly with his work. Among other things, he initiated and enacted an amendment in the Indian constitution that guarantees the right to free education for children under the age of 14.

Even though many of the children rescued by BBA are victims of trafficking, they can be reunited with their families. Yet they first need physical and, above all, mental rehabilitation from the injuries and suffering they have been subject to while in servitude. However some of the children were too young at the time of the abduction, which makes tracking of their families impossible.

For these children, Kailash and his wife Sumedha have founded a rehabilitation and training centre, Balashram, where 80 boys and 30 girls are taken care of. They are primarily provided with basic social training at the centre. Thereafter they get education in the village school. Their stay at the centre is a stark contrast to their previous life in slavery. They are treated with respect and care in a simple but warm environment. Visiting Balashram is a marvellous experience; to see the beaming joy and the increasing self-confidence in the children, despite their harsh backgrounds is truly breathtaking.

Kailash is dependent on contributions for financing his work. Kalin Setterberg has therefore become main sponsor for Balashram. We are happy and proud of being able to support Kailash in his extremely important and unselfish work in this field.