Fallen women find saviour in Chola

KANNUR: One may not find any sex workers in the streets in Kannur at night these days.  That is the proud claim made by  Shaji M.S. Sajid  who has been working to rehabilitate the fallen women through his organisation ‘Chola.’   It was some ten years back that  Shaji,  a youngster from Kannur district,  was given charge of the district’s AIDS  Control Society.  He conducted  a study on the prostitutes in the district and found that 90 percent of them did not opt for this profession to make money, but  were forced into it due to several reasons.

This revelation  inspired him to form ‘Chola’ that has rehabilitated more than 700 women in the district.   “Through the AIDS  Control Society, we were allotted some funds, which were  used for the rehabilitation of the  women. The state doesn’t have a specific policy for their rehabilitation,” he said.    ‘Chola’ has rescued hundreds of such women and created a model for rehabilitation that the government and other organisations can emulate.

With the  help of the district administration and other local government bodies, the  women were employed as home nurses, daily wage workers and  sales girls thereby bringing them to the mainstream.  They have their own small organisation which is mentored by ‘Chola’ and they also collect money as an investment, he  added.   ‘Chola’  was given  a national award by the National Legal Service Authority in 2015 for its  dedicated work and for providing free legal services. Shaji was  also honoured by the Youth Welfare Board for being the best social worker in the state.