The outside of the S.C.R.I.P.T. shop in Merstham.

A new shop has opened on the High Street (A23) in Merstham to raise money for S.C.R.I.P.T. (Securing Childhood, Restoring Innocence, Preventing Trafficking).  The shop has been set up by Stephen and Sarah Nunn and is run by Sarah's sister, Sue Reeve, to help women and young girls who have been trafficked in Kolkata (Calcutta) India. The shop sells antique and retro furniture and 'All things beautiful and useful' from house clearances.   All donations are gratefully received as well.

In 2011 Stephen and Sarah opened their first hostel and workshop in Kolkata at a cost of £12,000. This paid for six teenage girls to live in safety and for women to learn work skills and literacy.  They now employ five Indian women who take care of all aspects of the work.The Project manager 'Mahua' has had 12 years working in this area. She speaks fluent Hindi, Bengali and English. The warden and field worker have lived in the red light area for most of their lives.

Stephen and Sarah have taken five rooms that were previously used as a brothel for their hostel and office. They also rent rooms next door for their workshop and store. In 2012 Stephen and Sarah met their aim  to double the number of girls in the hostel and to have 24 women making products for sale in the UK.

By the end of 2013 they were looking after 35 women and 18 children and young adults.  Their long term aim is to make the project in Kolkata self-sufficient.

Sarah Nunn said:  “There are many agencies working out in Kolkata, both Indian and Foreign. They all acknowledge that it is only by outside intervention that the cycle of trafficking can be broken. At S.C.R.I.P.T we have taken a multi faceted approach. First we get the children and young women out of the brothels and into our hostel or residential school.  The teenage girls are then found work or are employed in our income generation scheme. We then encourage the women of the brothels to come and work for us and they are taught skills and literacy.”

Whilst outside money is needed at the beginning of each project, S.C.R.I.P.T seeks to make each one self-sufficient by setting up projects that will generate funds.

Sarah explained:  “In our first project in Kolkata the women produce greeting cards, jewellery, linen garments and recycled products made from old bicycle parts. They are paid a good wage and the products are sold in the UK and USA as well as from our website. The Women continue to live in their rented rooms within the brothels. This on balance seems the best way forward as if the room was vacant it would soon be filled by another trafficked girl.

“We hope people will support our shop in Merstham to help us continue our work in India.”