Thane sex workers engaged in packing incense sticks amid lockdown

Under the initiative of Swati Khan, the head of Shri Sai Seva Sanstha, a social health organization working for women in Thane, the eyes of sex workers who are always looking for clients and the hands which are generally used to signal the clients are now engaged in packing incense sticks. Along with the women, the children are also being trained to make Indian lighting pylons and lamps as people are against Chinese lighting.

Thane (Maharashtra): The Hanuman Hill area in Bhiwandi, which is inhabited by prostitutes, is almost like a notorious settlement. In this infamous neighbourhood, the eyes of sex workers who are always looking for clients and the hands which are generally used to signal the clients are now engaged in packing incense sticks.

Swati Khan, the head of Shri Sai Seva Sanstha, a social health organization working for women here to prevent corona infection, took an initiative to prevent infection without prostitution during the lockdown. Meanwhile, food grains and other necessities were distributed to 565 women from time to time through various charitable organizations.

But as the lockdown period progressed, the number of women here increased. They were getting two meals a day, but for other expenses, who would help them? Swati Khan's efforts to get women jobs through tehsildars and industrialists were successful. Swati Khan informed that these women who were taken care of by the organization got the job of packing incense sticks.

The selected 25 women who are eager to work here are first given a fortnight's training and if their work is satisfactory, the work of packing incense sticks will continue and during this training period, women will be paid Rs. 210 per day as honorarium. In the evenings, women are given nutritious food like turmeric milk and boiled eggs.

Pranayama lessons are being imparted to them. During the lockdown, they got food grains in abundance through the organization but this work has also given them some money, the women said.

"If this work continues like this, we will get out of the prostitution business," said another woman. Along with the women, the children are also being trained to make Indian lighting pylons and lamps as people are against Chinese lighting. With this, their children can be self-employed along with their mothers.