This week TSIC staff have been visiting their 2009 Charity of the Year, Odanadi. Odanadi are an NGO based in Mysore, India. Their inspirational figureheads Stanly and Parashu gave up journalism to lead a grassroots fight against human trafficking. Since starting 20 years ago, they have changed the lives of human traffickers from one where society turned a blind eye to them, to one where they have nowhere to hide. Stanly and Parashu themselves have been instigating brothel raids, breaking up networks and prosecuting traffickers. Over 120 traffickers are today behind bars thanks to their work – this represents more than 50% of total prosecutions in the area. Their work to set up vigilance committees to spot traffickers and prevent children from being trafficked is particularly powerful. Over 60 vigilance committees meet monthly to discuss how to protect their communities and marginalise the traffickers whose intimidation combined with a lack of police action, used to bring them great power. Over 70 girls and 18 boys live in Odandi’s rehabilitation centres. This time next year, around half of them will be married, working or re-integrated into their communities. Most of the rest will still be at Odanadi. The rate of re-trafficking for victims outside Odanadi’s walls is over 80%. At TSIC we have been providing fundraising and strategy advice to Odanadi and the fantastic support network they have through their UK registered charity, Odanadi UK. To find out more or become a friend of Odanadi UK, visit www.odanadi-uk.org. To read a report of a brothel raid from UK journalist turned Odanadi activist, Sarah Harris, visit http://curriedaway.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-first-brothel-raid.html TSIC’s 2010 Charity of the Year is UNIFEM-UK.