In December, I am planning to return to Jaipur. Most of you have followed my travels there over the past few years. You know I have a passion for India, not just for the textiles and vibrant colours but also the wonderful people, especially the children. Since setting up the Daadi Foundation, I want to see it make a difference to the lives of the kids and the plight of the women towards freedom and empowerment.I have been speaking with Ramesh Paliwal, who is the founder of "Taabar", a foundation that rescues children trafficked into child labour. It has shocked me to hear about so many kids in Jaipur, 'The Pink City', the bustling city I have come to love.It is not surprising: exploitation is rife. However, no child on earth deserves to have their formative years taken away because of fashion whims and our desires to sparkle at low cost. All that Glitters: as the saying goes, is not gold, because huddled in the shadows, away from the bright lights, are children in back-breaking poses, breathing in glass dust particles and making decorative Bangles.Some are enticed to the city from villages where parents are promised their children will receive a good education and fair wage. Some are beaten, they are not fed adequately and they are subjected to working long hours. I read somewhere that their employers throw water with chili into their eyes to keep them awake so they can work.THE TAABAR FOUNDATION has much work to do. …
In December, I am planning to return to Jaipur. Most of you have followed my travels there over the past few years. You know I have a passion for India, not just for the textiles and vibrant colours but also the wonderful people, especially the children.
Since setting up the Daadi Foundation, I want to see it make a difference to the lives of the kids and the plight of the women towards freedom and empowerment.
I have been speaking with Ramesh Paliwal, who is the founder of “Taabar”, a foundation that rescues children trafficked into child labour. It has shocked me to hear about so many kids in Jaipur, ‘The Pink City’, the bustling city I have come to love.
It is not surprising: exploitation is rife. However, no child on earth deserves to have their formative years taken away because of fashion whims and our desires to sparkle at low cost. All that Glitters: as the saying goes, is not gold, because huddled in the shadows, away from the bright lights, are children in back-breaking poses, breathing in glass dust particles and making decorative Bangles.
Some are enticed to the city from villages where parents are promised their children will receive a good education and fair wage. Some are beaten, they are not fed adequately and they are subjected to working long hours. I read somewhere that their employers throw water with chili into their eyes to keep them awake so they can work.
THE TAABAR FOUNDATION has much work to do. It’s complicated: some families find themselves trapped and caught in a debt bondage. They are obliged to work. Whole families work together in their homes but never seem to escape the debt and denied the protection of safe working practices. We must break this cycle of poverty because these kids often go on to repeat the process with the next generation.
At Daadi, we’ve always believed clothes, crafts, and creativity should bring joy, never exploitation so when we learned about Taabar and the work they do, we reached out and knew we had to help.
We know this will touch you too. All of us love fashion but at what cost?
Since 2007, TAABAR has been quietly doing the extraordinary, rescuing children from workshops, bus stations, and railway platforms, offering children shelter, medical care and most importantly love and restoration. Their shelter, Bal Basera, gives every rescued child a safe place to sleep, food to eat, and a chance to heal. Many are reunited with families. Others begin new chapters through education and counselling.
But Taabar’s work goes far beyond rescuing
Taabar are building bridges between government departments, police officers, railway staff, and the local community. They train officials to recognise and respond to child trafficking. They make police stations child-friendly, ensuring children receive justice, compensation, and care. They’re even introducing arts and theatre therapy to help children express trauma through creativity – something that feels beautifully aligned with Daadi belief in healing through making.
Imagine the difference: a child once hunched over bangles in a dim workshop now painting, learning and laughing again. That’s why Daadi Foundation is stepping up to support TAABAR’s incredible work in Jaipur.
Every Euro we raise helps:
Provide safe beds, food and counselling for rescued children.
Train railway police and community workers to prevent trafficking.
Improve shelter homes and create art and theatre programs for healing
Bring children home safely to be children again.
This is what your donation means; it is not just a number, it’s a childhood restored.
At Daadi, we’ve always been about mindful giving; whether its’ a swapped blouse, giving childrens clothes free, or a shared story. Supporting TAABAR is part of that same circular compassion:
What we give goes round and comes back as hope.
Lauren Staton
Founder and President of Daadi
Your donation is important to us. Whichever way you want to support Daadi. As a Clothes swapper and filling a bag of donated clothes, helping as a volunteer or just pressing the donate button on our website, it means a lot to us, it means even more to a child who deserves the chance of a happy life, Thank you.
