— By Heidi K. Brenner Hayatgheyb

Nine year-old Ranjita was living underneath a plastic sheet on the streets of Calcutta, India, with her brother and their mother. But sickness and poverty were not the only worries in this child’s mind. Ranjita knew of the probability of rape that young girls in her situation often faced, as well as the possibility of being sold into sexual slavery. But something was going to happen that would change Ranjita’s course of life.

In 2001, Urmi Basu, a trained social worker and dedicated advocate of women and children, became concerned with the plight of prostitutes’ children in Khaligat, home to one of Calcutta’s busiest red
light districts.

Urmi first started an evening shelter for prostitutes’ children, providing safety and a hot meal. But Urmi dreamed of opening a real home for the little girls who are expected, often forced, to follow in
their mother’s footsteps.

Through the help of two anonymous Amistad donors, Urmi was able to fulfill this dream. On July 28, 2005, the Soma Home for Girls was officially inaugurated. Amistad helped Urmi rent, refurbish and furnish this home for the first fourteen little girls.

Among these girls was Ranjita. (Ranjita’s mother is not a prostitute but Ranjita was accepted to Soma home because she was at risk of rape.) Urmi writes, “I will always remember the look on Ranjita’s mother’s face when she left her daughter with us…

It was is if she was giving her heart away to me. And that night, perhaps for the first time, Ranjita slept with a pillow under her head and on clean sheets.”

All of the mothers were invited to attend the inauguration ceremony for the new home, an evening of great excitement. During the touching ceremony, Urmi explained that the home had been named Soma, after a little girl who had shown tremendous bravery and hope amidst a great deal of suffering.

“Soma’s mother was full-term pregnant with her when we formally opened our shelter four years ago.”

“When Soma was just a month and a half old, she was seriously burnt in a terrible accident in her home while her mother, a prostitute, had gone to a public toilet nearby. She lost her left arm, her ear had melted and fused to her head, and her little body was 70% covered with burns. Unfortunately, she was of little value to her mother and grandmother, being a girl and having such grave burns.”

“But baby Soma showed an incredible will to survive and you could tell she was a fighter. She recovered fully and as she started to grow up she showed a very alert mind, a joyful and curious disposition, and a lovely smile. She became the symbol of hope and light to everyone who felt defeated.”

“Then, last September she took ill with a bad case of diarrhea and dehydration. Sadly enough, the mother didn’t take these symptoms very seriously, and Soma died. I felt totally defeated and lost, as if I was trying to climb a mountain that had its peak forever shrouded in mist.”

“But, as if struck by lightning, it occurred to me that the best tribute to her amazing spirit would be to name our new home for girls after Soma.”

“Perhaps not just coincidentally, the word “soma” means elixir of life—the wine that gives life.”
Urmi writes,” I can’t tell you how happy the girls are, and what it means to them to be free of the constant fear of violence and abuse. They now sleep without fear.”

“Thanks once again to the board members of Amistad and everyone else who has and continues to help us realize this dream!,” says Urmi, who hopes to soon make Soma large enough for 24 girls.