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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, April 26, 2013 | 4 Working to get girls out of India's sex trade by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff Even in the relative safety of Canada, most young people have heard about the horrors of the sex trade that happens around the world and even here at home. Students of King's Christian Collegiate heard a firsthand account from someone who rescues girls put into slavery -- and who goes beyond simply removing them from brothels, but rather reintegrates them into the community. "We take in girls who are really broken. "We help them along the way, not only professionally, but by the love of Christ, and transform their lives and help them back into the society where they need to be," said Smita Singh, director of The Mahima Care Home in Kolkata, India (Calcutta). Singh spoke to the students April 16, as part of her Ontario tour of speaking engagements, sponsored by the Brampton-based global organization Partners International, which has partnered with The Mahima Care Home. The word `mahima' translates to `glory' in English. The clinical psychologist told the students a person living in Kolkata witnesses many different kinds of injustices. Singh herself grew up in a home that had a strong connection with the church and Smita Singh is a clinical psychologist and the director of The Mahima Care Home in Kolkata, India -- a project of Partners International Canada. Singh was in Oakville to speak to students last week. photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) lived in a nurturing environment, which has inspired her to become involved in her community. She became a psychologist and for five years worked with the Kolkata police depart- ment going into brothels and rescuing girls -- some as young as eight. "While I was there, I realized that really good quality care was not available to these girls," she said. "I was rescuing girls and they were just getting lost again. They were running away from the government homes," said Singh, noting often the young women were better off in a brothel than the homes. Rescue is the first step, she said, but the restoration and transformation, which is essential, was not happening. "Many of these girls were going right back into the brothels because they had no other better options," said the home's director. Then Partners International came along and joined with Singh to help her establish the first after-care home in Kolkata, which opened in April 2010. The Mahima Care Home has two facilities. One is for girls under the age of 18 who are rescued from the sex trade. The youngest girl to be placed in the home was eight years old. The other facility is a transition home for the girls who outgrow the former facility, but have no place to go. Singh said nearly 30 per cent of the girls in the sex trade are put there by their families. The transition home bridges the reintroduction of the young women back into society. The facilities are Christ-centred and all staff members are Christian and much time is spent on devotion and spiritual input. Beyond that, Singh said, the centre focuses on the girls' rehabilitation, which includes counselling, education and job searching. See Children on p.9 With every purchase of a Rieker New Arrival for Spring* (sku 11359 and up). While quantities last. Offer ends May 1st, 2013 FREE TOTE BAG* LOOK FOR US ON INGEBORG'S WAREHOUSE 1681 FINFAR COURT, MISSISSAUGA Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 to 5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11 to 4 905.823.7415