We would like to dedicate a day to Nepali women who have been survivors of sex crimes. 

~What is the TSUBAKI project~

TSUBAKI is the name of a Japanese flower and is the symbol for women in Japan. We would like to organize a fashion show for women in order for them to be able to live a strong and beautiful life, like a TSUBAKI. Through this project, people can get to know about the sex crimes happening in Nepal. 

~This is the story of a girl who is a survivor of sex crimes~

Her name is Manamaya (name changed to preserve anonymity); she has short hair and is around 7 years old. When her parents and grandmother passed away, she had no home but the streets to live on. While living on the streets, she experienced a lot of sexual abuse by many men - on the streets and in hotels. Manamaya is a little girl; she doesn’t even have her period yet.

After a few months, she was put under police protection. However, she is no longer able to have children due to the abuse she has suffered. She has been mentally traumatized. She doesn’t  know her age or from where she came. She could not pee by herself for a while. It will be very difficult for her to get married because she cannot have a child. 

She has to be strong.

~Greetings~

My name is Kokoro Oshima, and I’m working as the leader of the TSUBAKI project.

I came to Nepal to study abroad last September. I am interested in human rights because that’s what I am studying at University.

When I was in Nepal, I was looking for a group that works to help those in need. That is how I found DREAM-Hack, which is a nonprofit organization. Now, DREAM-Hack is supporting my project. 

I had an opportunity to visit a protection facility where girls who have been victims of sex crimes can live. Then, I encountered the issue of human trafficking currently happening in Nepal. 

When I visited the facility, there was a special festival for women called Teej. I decided to host the TSUBAKI project for those girls.

How we celebrated Teej in 2018

Traditionally, girls and women celebrate Teej with dancing, singing and eating a feast while wearing national costume called a saree. However, the girls we encountered in a shelter could not do all this because of lack of money. There were many girls who did not wear sarees. 

How we hope to celebrate Teej in 2019

We hope for a lot of food for the feast and for all the girls to wear beautiful sarees, accessories and makeup. We also hope that they will be dancing and singing with a smile the whole day on Teej. We also plan to put on a fashion show.

~The victims of sex crimes in Nepal~

There are areas of the world where women’s and girls’ rights are not respected due to religion, gender, caste, geographical environment and so on. 

There are women who are treated like objects. Some girls continue to suffer sex crimes at the hands of their stepfathers or the owners of their workplaces. 

If a girl escapes from an abusive situation, she might not be able to live with her family any more, and she might lose her job. It is difficult for women and girls to seek help due to their low social status. 

The victims of sex crimes are also implicated in human trafficking in Nepal. It is reported that the number of women and girls being sold to India from Nepal is approximately 6000 to 7000 women a year.  However, the estimate is more than 7,000 women a year.  The actual number of women is uncertain, because there are no official statistics being maintained.  

On my last day in Nepal, I went to the border between Nepal and India in order to do research. I was able to ask the Nepali police and NGO about human trafficking because they strictly monitor human trafficking.

They work to stop human trafficking==== around the border between Nepal and India. According to the police, the number of victims of human trafficking is increasing more and more.

Brokers seduce women and girls with sweet words, such as “Will you marry me?” or “I can help you find a great job earn a lot of money.”  Because the women believe they can earn money to help their family this way, they get trapped. 

Recently, due to the expansion of the internet and social media, brokers have been able to interact with more girls and it has been even easier to trap them.

Girls who are sold at the Indian border are forced to have sex with dozens of men every day. They cannot escape or resist because they might be beaten by the brokers. 

The brokers can break down a girl’s mind and use her as a sex worker. And then, they only throw out a girl if she either suffers from a severe disease or becomes old.

Most girls who are rescued are already infected with HIV or thdo the pregnancy not to expect.

It happens frequently that the girl’s mental health has been broken already. Additionally, these girls cannot return to their home villages or live with their families; they’re thought to be dirty because their virginity has been violated.

Even if they do escape from a brothel, their lives are a continual nightmare. They’ve suffered deep wounds mentally and physically. Some girls commit suicide because they cannot find meaning in their lives. The Nepalese government cannot help them adjust to life easily. 

~Purpose of the project~

During this  festival in Nepal for women called Teej, the women take a leading role.  This is the one time of the year when they can shine, even though women’s social position is low. Teej is a very important festival for Nepalese girls and women. During Teej, they wear the Nepalese traditional dress called a saree, which they wear only on  special days in Nepal. The women sing a song and dance all day with their special dress, makeup and accessories. Teej is performed in shelters every year, but in shelters they do not have sarees and accessories because of financial circumstances. They cannot perform Teej outside of the shelters for security reasons. So it is difficult for these women to truly enjoy the festival. 

I hope for them to fully enjoy Teej and forget their painful past. 

For Teej this year, I plan to present these women with sarees, accessories, and cosmetics and host a fashion show.

I hope that then the women will be able to shine in their leading roles and dress up for themselves, not for someone else. I hope that they will regain their perfect smile and confidence and that they will be proud of themselves.

And I hope that the project will give these women an opportunity to live as strong and beautiful women.

Furthermore, I hope that this project will create an opportunity for people all over the world to know about sex crimes in Nepal.

~Site of the TSUBAKI project~

We  run the TSUBAKI project in a shelter run by Shakti Samuha, which is a local NGO in Nepal. 

I organize the fashion show for two shelters: one in Pokhara and other in the capital,  Kathmandu.     

Shakti Samuha was established in 1996 by 15 women who were survivors of sex crimes.  

Approximately 100 women who have endured human trafficking and sexual violence are protected and taken care of by the staff in Shakti Samuha.

The budget of this shelter is comprised of donations from approximately seven groups, including an overseas NGO group, but this budget is not enough for them. The women who were rescued need to go to school and train for jobs in order to work in the near future.  Those expenses and daily living require more money than is in the budget. The staff tries to create a more comfortable life for the women. Education is especially important, so the staff takes care of and supports for school-age girls so that they can have a positive school experience 

~Thoughts  from a member of  the TSUBAKI project ~

When I visited a shelter for the first time, girls of various ages between 4 years old and my age came to meet me.  At first I was a little nervous because I didn’t know how to interact with them. Soon they greeted me with  “Namaste” and a smile.

Then I felt relieved and welcomed. On that day, it was just before Teej and the mood of the shelter was good because of the upcoming festival.

On the day of Teej, everyone danced, took selfies, and had a wonderful time on this special day. But almost all the girls’ and womens’ clothes in the shelter were everyday clothes. Usually on the day of Teej, women wear sarees, the Nepali national costume that is necessary for the festival. They did wear pretty accessories that were bought by the staff.  The women really loved their accessories and showed them off to me proudly.

They looked really happy even though they dressed up only a little and wore the accessories given to them by the staff, who were like mothers to them.  The girls looked like normal girls - just the same as us. It was hard for me to imagine that these girls had suffered a dark past.  But they are so much stronger than me and are beautiful and sweet.

My dream is that human trafficking will end but I don’t know what to do because I’m not as strong as these women and girls. The only thing that I can do at this moment to try to protect their beautiful smiles is to tell  their stories to people all over the world and .  If the number of people fighting against human trafficking increases, the world will change for the better, little by little. 

Before I visited the shelter, I myself had little knowledge about human trafficking and sex crimes in Nepal. I wasn’t sure if I should even visit the shelter without much knowledge because it might be annoying for the people in the shelter

However, when I shared my concern with Mr. Kan, a DREAM-Hack representative who connected me with the shelter, he said, "You should go because you do not know about it." There would not have been a TSUBAKI project if I had not known about these shelters. 

There are many things we do not know in the world. It is difficult to learn more without an opportunity to learn. I hope that this project is a chance to share about the realities of human trafficking for many people all over the world. And I hope that there will be more people wishing happiness for these girls who have survived human trafficking and sex crimes.

~ Thoughts of a Member of DREAM-Hack who is involved in the TSUBAKI project ~

My name is  Mizuho Taniguchi and I belong to DREAM-Hack, which is an NGO. 

I am a 4th year student at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies and work in public relations in my company.  My current focus is the TSUBAKI project.

I would like to share my thoughts about the TSUBAKI project.

After I graduate from university, I will work for an apparel business.  

Why do I want to work for an apparel business?

I think that people can express their personality and gain confidence through fashion. Fashion can enrich your heart.

For example, you might decide, “I’m wearing my favorite shoes today!” Then the mood of yourday will be great because you like wearing your favorite shoes.

But when you’re in a hurry in the morning and quickly put on clothes you don’t like, you may not want to meet a friend on such a day, right?

A wedding dress and tuxedo for a wedding ceremony and national costumes for a national festival are also fashions. These fashions help us live our lives beautifully. I would like people to know that you can be happy and gain confidence through fashion. That’s why I decided to work for a fashion business. 

As for the girls who have survived sex crimes in Nepal, how do they feel about fashion?

Could fashion make their lives happier?

Fashion could be a tool for their work as sex workers.

I visited the shelter of Shakti Samuha in Nepal before we started crowdfunding.

The staff and children welcomed me with smiles. 

I thought to myself, "I want the girls to have the best smiles on Teej, a day that is important for women in Nepal." 

Ms. Snita, a representative of Shakti Samuha, says, “I hope the girls become strong women through Shakti Samuha.” 

We believe we can help them to truly feel beautiful - on the inside and out - through fashion.

On the day of Teej, the girls will dress up with sarees and we hope they will be happy and confident.  

~Summary~

Hello dear friend.

Today, I kindly ask for your support for girls in Nepal.

In Nepal, do you know how many girls are sold as sex workers? Do you know how many girls have suffered sex crimes?.

There are approximately 6000 to 7000 girls who suffer every year. But it is said the number is actually more than 7000 girls.

Even if a girl who has been the victim of sex crimes is protected, most of these girls cannot smile from the heart.

Why?

Because they are deeply hurt - body and mind - by the crime. 

We want them to be happy, gain confidence, and feel beautiful.

This project is for girls to enjoy the special women’s festival called Teej.

And through this project, people can learn about sex crimes happening in Nepal. 

Please support us and help these girls smile

Whether you donate or spread the word, we would really appreciate your understanding and support.

~Giving Opportunities~

-3000JPY

【You can send your love to the girls】

1. Thank you letter

 *need your email address

-5000JPY

【You can send a beautiful Saree for a girl】

1. Thank you letter

2. Handmade accessory (You can choose from a necklace, bracelet, earrings, or keychain fob. We might not able to meet your request.)

*it will be income for a girl who makes the accessories.

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

-5000JPY

【You can send a beautiful Saree for a girl】

1. Thank you letter

2. Handmade mini bag OR cocktail coaster (You choose. We might not able to meet your request.)

*it will be income for a girl who makes it.

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

-10000JPY

【You can send a beautiful Saree for two girls】

1. Thank you letter

2. Handmade bag ( size : 38cm×38cm)

*it will be income for a girl who makes the bag.

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

-30000JPY

【You can send a beautiful Saree for six girls】

1. Thank you letter

2. Handmade bag ( size : 38cm×38cm)

*it will be income for the girl who makes the bag.

     3 Fashion show recording(  Although we cannot show the girls’ faces for security reasons, we will share a video of the fashion show. *If you don’t want us to include your name in the movie please let us know in the remarks column.)

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

-50000JPY

【You can send a beautiful Saree for ten girls】

1. Thank you letter

2. ⑴Matching saree for the girls OR ⑵choose donation gift from under 300,00 JPY (please enter ⑴ OR ⑵ in the remarks column)

3. Fashion show video (Although we cannot show the girls’ their faces for security reasons, we will share a video of the fashion show. *If you don’t want us to include your name in the movie please let us know in the remarks column.)

4. 
   

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

-100000JPY: Official Sponsor of the TSUBAKI Project

【You can support their beautiful smiles and the TSUBAKI project】

1. Thank you letter for the company

   1. Official sponsor designation for TSUBAKI project (offer information on our SNS)

   2. Included on our activity report

2. Thank you letter for individual 

3. ⑴Matching saree with the girls OR ⑵choose donation gift from under 300,00 JPY (please enter ⑴ OR ⑵ in the remarks column)

4. Fashion show video (Although we cannot show the girls’ their faces for security reasons, we will share a video of the fashion show. *If you don’t want us to include your name in the movie please let us know in the remarks column.)

*need your email address.

*need your home address. 

      shipping date: October 2019

《Please note that》

Due to the high shipping costs, we can only send thank you letters to donors outside of Japan. Thank you for your understanding.