Amarpal Singh

money, we decided to register Rescue Foundation in the year 2000,” informs Mrs. Acharya.

Ever since, Rescue Foundation has saved over 7000 lives by rescuing girls from trafficking and providing them with a supportive environment to rebuild their lives. With four safe havens in Mumbai, Boisar, Pune and Delhi, the foundation provides shelter, healthcare, education, and vocational and skill training such as tailoring, bag making, embroidery, computers, hospitality, spoken English, martial arts, yoga, meditation, art & crafts, painting, dance therapy, and legal support etc.

Talking about the work conducted by Rescue Foundation, Mrs. Acharya says, “When we rescue these girls, they have no identification proofs. So, after the rescue, their age verification, pregnancy test, HIV test, and other necessary things are conducted by our organization. Most of them are minors and uneducated. So, we provide literacy training, mandatory yoga and meditation classes, and art and craft workshops. After their 10th grade, we make them do diploma courses in housekeeping, hospitality, and computer courses to help them find employment. The government of Maharashtra is their legal guardian until they are 18, and we are the custodian.”

Apart from helping the girls stand on their own feet, Mrs. Acharya and her foundation also help them overcome their trauma. “We have in-house counsellors who provide different therapies and de-addiction treatments. Recovery takes time, and the first 25 days are the most difficult, with the withdrawal phase where the girls often display aggressive behaviour. We take precautions to prevent self-harm and suicides. With counselling, the survivors slowly recover,” narrates Mrs. Acharya.

The fearless activist has encountered several hurdles along her chosen path. Still, the biggest jolt came in 2005, when her husband died in an alleged framed accident while returning from a rescue operation. “He was constantly getting threat calls, and that day I told him I will accompany him,” reveals an emotional Mrs. Acharya, “But he said — ‘One of us has to stay alive to fight for this cause.’”

After Balkrishna’s death, Mrs. Acharya aggressively got involved with the functioning of the Rescue Foundation and took over as the organization’s President/ CEO. Ask her what motivated her to continue working for the foundation during those trying times, and she smiles warmly, “When I see these innocent girls, I see my daughters in them. At an age when they were supposed to be studying and playing, they were instead tortured, raped and forced into prostitution. I never asked any of them to call me ‘Mummy,’ but all these girls call me ‘Mummy.’ And it is a very overwhelming feeling. So, they motivated me to continue fighting for this cause.”

Under Mrs. Acharya’s leadership, Rescue Foundation has received several accolades. The government of India awarded a posthumous award to Balkrishna Acharya. In 2008, Mrs. Acharya received a Stree Shakti Award, and in 2010, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou presented Mrs. Acharya with the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award. In 2011, she won the Civil Courage Prize from The Train Foundation. In 2013, Mrs. Acharya became the 2013 Humanitarian Honoree of the World of Children Award in conjunction with her work with The Rescue Foundation.

Besides rescue and rehabilitation activities, Mrs. Triveni Acharya is also actively educating the youth about human trafficking. Rescue Foundation and several other NGOs also advocate for more stringent punishments for the trafficking accused.

With her bold and unwavering dedication to the cause of human trafficking, Mrs. Triveni Acharya is an inspiration to many. Her work with Rescue Foundation is a testament to the fact that all it takes to make a real difference in the world is the will to do it.

Note: One can get associated with Rescue Foundation as a volunteer or help them in their fight against human trafficking through donations, providing meals at their centres, sponsoring their rescue girls etc. For more details, visit - https://rescuefoundation.net/

When it comes to face makeup, our needs can range from fullon foundation coverage that camouflages imperfections to a subtle, evening-out skin tone for a polished look to a glowy finish that projects a youthful, healthy vitality. Innovative product formulations have made achieving or refining those effects so much easier. Where once it was down to just foundation, and then foundation versus tinted moisturizer, we now have a range of options that include various types of concealers and, more recently, skin tints.

“Skin tint is the lightest possible complexion makeup product that gives skin more of a radiant glow,” says Janice James, field executive training manager for Bobbi Brown. “It’s quick and easy to apply with fingertip application versus foundation, typically applied with a brush or damp sponge.”

Hilary Lloyd, The Body Shop’s