Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog millionaire won the academy award for best picture. However, the slum
(Dharavi) the movie was directed in is far from the best. I remember entering the Dharavi and
seeing dirt roads bustling with street merchants selling items that ranged from fresh fruit to
knock off Louis Vuitton purses. The streets were littered with trash and most of the people here
had no idea where their next meal was coming from that day. This didn’t stop the people from
enjoying life and carrying on. Many times, I stumbled onto children giggling and playing games
with one another.
I was visiting Dharavi to see the children who Oasis of Life International provides school
supplies to each year. As I walked through the claustrophobic alleyways, there was one thing
that was certain. Though the slum may be impoverished, the people in it were some of the
kindest I’ve ever met. The children in the one, classroom school sang us songs, and the people
constantly invited us into their homes to eat with them. It was beautiful to see that even
though Dharavi is so different than the everyday life I see in the United States, kindness is universal.

-Fatima

The Impact

Eighty percent of the human trafficking across the world is committed for sexual
exploitation and the rest is for bonded labor, and India is considered as the hub of this crime in
Asia. As per the statistics of the government – every eight minutes a child goes missing in India.
The women I met at the safe house were some of the strongest women I have ever had the
pleasure of getting to know. They opened my eyes to what it means to be have faith and hope
in a better tomorrow. Most of these women, when they were only children, were unwillingly
forced and sold into trafficking. Oasis of Life International helps provide skills-training programs
to aid in the rehabilitation and transition program for these victims. Sitting with these women
and listening to their stories and seeing the impact OLI is making is unforgettable. The women
currently live in an apartment with other women who empower them in sisterhood. Meeting
these women has forever leave an impact on my heart.

-Vision Trip Participant

Love

When I was 11 years old, I visited India for the first time. I can recall landing in the country and
feeling like every sense of mine was overwhelmed. The smell of the city, the noise of local
traffic, the pollution that made my eyes sting, the taste of new spices, and the view of poverty.

Regardless of everything else I was going to experience during my trip, the view of poverty was
going to linger with me long after I left the country. Walking through India, I saw poverty that
was on a level far greater than anything I had ever experienced in Atlanta. Government aided
help for the poor is minimal. Seeing children who could barely walk, propped on their begging
mother’s hips, brought tears to my eyes. I decided at the age of 11 that this is not okay. From
there on, I have volunteered my time and efforts into fighting poverty through education and
empowerment.
Oasis of Life International has allowed me to travel to India multiple times and see all facets of
poverty, and the organization’s persistent efforts in aid. Recently, I visited an orphanage in
Thane where the organizations has implemented a medical and food program. The children
here are clearly malnourished with a dire need of medical attention. By volunteering with Oasis
of Life International, I was able to help deliver Christmas presents and bring holiday cheer to
the kids. I was able to see firsthand the meals the children are provided. While the organization
constantly invests financially into these projects, the best gift I saw the delivered that trip was
love.

-Vision Trip Participant