STOP’s Communities celebrated the festival of lights, Diwali, and the pictures display their sheer enjoyment!
Diwali Celebrations, 2024
Author: stopglobalmovement
STOP Invited to Ekatva
At the Ekatva – Green Diwali Festival on October 27th, 2024 at Sunder Nursery, Delhi, STOP was represented by its psychological counsellor, Sakshi Gaur. Addressing an audience of over 5,000, Sakshi spoke on human trafficking, sharing alarming statistics and highlighting STOP’s mission to combat the oppression of women and children. She recounted the inspiring story of STOP’s founding by Roma Ma’am and detailed its impactful work and achievements. STOP was honored with the “Changemaker of the Year” award at the event, celebrating its dedication to creating a compassionate and sustainable world.
Uttarakhand, October 2024
On the 23rd October 2024, STOP held a stakeholder meeting hosted in the SSB campus conference hall, in collaboration with the SSB unit of the Indian National Army at Jauljibhi, a village on the Indo-Nepal border, Uttarakhand. The meeting brought together government officials (DM, CDO, SSB, police, ASHA workers, etc.), NGOs, Panchayat leaders, community leaders, and media representatives. This gathering fostered a supportive network among local bodies and organizations, emphasizing the need for collective action against cross-border trafficking and sexual violence. Discussions focused on the POCSO Act 2012, ITPA 1956, cross-border trafficking, and child sexual violence. The meeting reinforced support networks for tackling these critical issues, laying the groundwork for future initiatives aimed at enhancing community awareness and strengthening protective measures for women and children in vulnerable regions.
STOP Invited to Nanhe Kadam Baal Utsav (by Mobile Creches)
On October 25, 2024, Mobile Creches NGO hosted “Nanhe Kadam Baal Utsav” at Pragati Maidan’s Art and Craft Museum, New Delhi. This unique event was designed to engage children in fun-filled, interactive activities without the use of smartphones or gadgets, fostering creativity, imagination, and a sense of community.
STOP was invited and represented by Poonam Choudhary, Field Coordinator and Counsellor, and Mamta Gopal, Centre in Charge (Tigri Community).
The event featured delightful activities that captured the spirit of childhood. Puppet shows enchanted young audiences, while small drawing competitions encouraged budding artists, complete with thoughtful prizes. Children joyfully explored the Gudiya Ghar (House of Dolls), immersing themselves in imaginative play. The highlight for many was Ao Nani ki Kahani Suno (Come, Listen to Grandmother’s Stories), where timeless tales brought smiles to eager faces.
Nanhe Kadam Baal Utsav successfully showcased the importance of hands-on, screen-free engagement for children. STOP’s collaboration further emphasized the shared commitment to empowering and protecting children.
Legal Literacy Day, Tigri
STOP has been at the forefront of raising awareness in its communities, championing initiatives that tackle pressing social issues with impactful results. Recently, STOP organized a comprehensive Legal Literacy Awareness Program in Tigri. The program educated over 230 participants on critical topics such as domestic violence, child labor, child marriage, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Esteemed advocates and experts shared legal insights, empowering the audience with knowledge and actionable steps. The event featured compelling street plays performed by students from Tigri and Tughlakabad centers, addressing issues of child labor and domestic violence, resonating deeply with attendees. STOP’s dedicated team, along with long-time supporters, ensured the event’s success.
Through initiatives like these, STOP continues to foster informed, vigilant, and proactive communities, contributing significantly to social change and legal awareness. Join us in supporting these transformative efforts!
Mental Health Week at STOP
Mental Health Week at STOP’s communities’ education centers at both Tigri and Tughlakabad, led by Sakshi Gaur, Psychological Counsellor at STOP, was a transformative initiative held from October 9th to 16th. The week aimed to raise awareness about mental health and equip students with tools to manage stress, enhance their emotional intelligence (EQ), and navigate life’s challenges effectively.
A standout session on stress management introduced techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness exercises. Activities like the “Feelings Wheel” empowered participants to label and share emotions, fostering a culture of openness and empathy, as well as an interactive exercise using the “Emotion Wheel,” enabling them to identify, understand, and regulate their emotions better. Students learned how emotional well-being impacts relationships and the overall quality of life.
The highlight of the week was a creative drawing activity, where students expressed their joys and strengths through art. Prompts like “Five things that make me happy” and “Five things I like about myself” encouraged self-reflection and boosted self-esteem. Similarly, the 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness exercise engaged their senses, teaching the importance of being present in the moment.
Through these engaging sessions, students developed essential life skills, including empathy, resilience, and emotional regulation. STOP’s Mental Health Week was a powerful reminder of the importance of mental health education. By fostering emotional intelligence and resilience, initiatives like this pave the way for a more empathetic and confident generation.
Sustainability liveweek 2024
On September 30, 2024, Sakshi Gaur, the Psychological Counsellor at STOP, attended the Sustainability CSR Live Week event, a prominent international gathering for professionals in aid and development of the social sector. The day long event featured a conference with seven different sessions with multiple panellists, exhibition of CSR Good Book 2024, workshops, and awards. As part of the CSR Good Book launch, it showcased India’s top sustainable and socially responsible brands, corporations, and public sector enterprises. STOP actively participated in this “Grantor – Grantee” platform, contributing to the promotion of CSR initiatives and sustainability efforts within the community. The event provided a solid platform for engaging discussions and networking.
Vijayawada Consultation, 2024
The National Consultation on Countering Cyber-Enabled Human Trafficking was a consultative programme held in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The Documentation Officer of STOP, Narayani Bhattacharya, was invited to actively participate in the abovesaid meeting. An audience of over five hundred governmental and civil bodies were given a warm welcome by Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, Founder of Prajwala and a Padmashree Awardee, who was at the heart of the entire consultation. The programme enhoused two different sessions; the first one was the launch of the interactive session, where details about the book were discussed, and the second session entailed suggestions given from all the government and civil society dignitaries to improve and enhance the research done to formulate the book. STOP’s representative also gave suggestions, which were noted down. The Consultative programme was quite effective in reaching out to an audience committed to creating a safer cyber-space in all the online platforms.
DIstrict Level Stakeholder Meeting, Uttarakhand, 2024
The first District Level Stakeholder Meeting was held in Rudrapur on the 19th of September 2024, organized by RBC Trust and Mahila Samiti initiated by Mrs. Heera Routela in US Nagar, Uttarakhand. This event was themed on violence against women and human trafficking, keeping in mind the increasing rate of crime against women in the Udham Singh Nagar District, as reported by various newspapers and the community members specially located areas bordering Nepal. Various government dignitaries from DALSA, AHTU, deputy CMO, ICDS, SSP, One Stop Centre, DPO, PCPNDT, women and child district officials, Mahila helpline, CDPO mahila kalyan were present in this august meeting. An audience of more than a hundred people were welcomed by the team of STOP and Heera Routela.
Jharkhali Field Visit, September 2024
The Jharkhali Field Visit was conducted in the month of September 2024, by two representatives of STOP, namely Smritikana Ghosh Paul, Senior Programme Manager, and Narayani Bhattacharya, Documentation Officer. The programme was divided into roughly three days, spanning a detailed discourse on student’s awareness about prevention against human trafficking and a thorough discussion with our successfully vocational trainees. The response from both the targeted audiences was quite positive and the Visit confirmed that STOP’s work in Jharkhali has created much more, in-depth awareness against human trafficking, while also making many at-risk women stand on their own feet.
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