Today I crossed my fingers and applied to the Singapore-based philanthropic foundation ArtVenture (http://www.artventure.com/). They approached me a couple of months ago (always a good start when you're trying for funds!) following their research identifying our good work in Nepal. I've now applied for grant funding for our first three month long art workshop that will start this September. The aim of the workshop is to provide art therapy and training for up to 40 circus girl returnees - the first of its kind in Nepal. The course will help girls process their trauma - most returnees have some element of post traumatic stress disorder - and pave the way for employment within an art career. If they are trained and have the aptitude I can give them real jobs. We're lucky enough to have two visiting UK volunteers for that period; one is a potter, Alex Hunter (http://www.alex-hunter.co.uk/) and the other, Eleanor Lane, is an art therapist who has recently been working with Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka.
Many of the other organisations in Nepal that purport to provide "rehabilitation" for trafficked girls settle for buying them a goat or a sewing machine. We can do much better than that.
