Samira was like any other 14-year-old — full of dreams, eager to learn, and hopeful for the future. But when her family could no longer afford to keep her in school, she was sent to Mumbai to live with her older sisters and find work. It was a decision made out of necessity — and one that would change her life forever.
In many communities, sending a child to work as a domestic helper is seen as a practical solution. But as research shows, this perception can be dangerously misleading. What starts as “helping out” can quickly become a gateway to trafficking.
Samira’s brother-in-law promised to help her find work. Instead, he sold her to traffickers. She was taken to a brothel in Mumbai, where she was beaten, starved, and forced into sex work.
“Only if I worked, I would be given food… They beat me with belts. They burnt my hands with cigarette butts,” Samira recalls.
She was just a child. But in the eyes of her captors, she was a commodity.
When we think of child labour, we often picture children in fields or factories. But the commercial sexual exploitation of children is one of the most brutal and hidden forms of child labour. It thrives in silence, shame, and stigma.
Samira was not alone. She was held with other girls — some as young as ten — in a locked room with no escape. They were isolated, monitored, and abused. Their childhoods were stolen, their voices silenced.
One day, Samira and a few girls were taken to a hotel. A police raid changed everything. While others hid, Samira ran to the officers and begged for help. Her traffickers were arrested. She was finally free.
But freedom was just the beginning of a long journey.
Samira spent nearly a year in shelter homes in Mumbai and Kolkata. She was safe, but the trauma lingered. When she returned to her village, she faced judgment and whispers. People told her to forget. But how do you forget something that changed your life forever?
“Everyone says forget about what happened and move on… People just laugh on the outside. They don’t know what is going on through my mind,”
Samira
In 2019, Samira met Mousumi, a caseworker from World Vision's Combat Child Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation Program. Mousumi listened. She didn’t judge. She helped Samira join a survivor support group and explore vocational training.
Samira didn’t want to return to school — she felt too shy to sit with younger children. But she found hope in learning skills like beauty therapy and hotel management.
Samira’s message to other girls is simple but powerful:
“Do not just blindly trust people — even if they are your own family. First look, understand, and only then take a step forward.”
Her courage is a beacon for others. But she shouldn’t have had to be brave in the first place.
Why We Must Act
Child trafficking is a multi-billion euro industry. It thrives on poverty, silence, and weak enforcement. Survivors like Samira need long-term support — not just rescue, but rehabilitation, education, and empowerment.
At World Vision, we are working to:
- Prevent trafficking through education and awareness.
- Support survivors with mental health care and vocational training.
- Advocate for stronger laws and better enforcement.
- Build communities where children are safe, valued, and free.
How You Can Help
Your donation can change a life. It can help us reach more children, rescue more survivors, and build a world where no child is forced to suffer what Samira did.
👉 Donate now to World Vision Ireland
Together, we can end child labour — in all its forms.
Samira’s story is not just a tragedy — it’s a call to action. She survived. She is healing. And with your help, she can thrive.
But there are thousands more like her, still waiting for someone to listen, to care, to act.
Let’s be that someone.