In India, over two million women and children are working as prostitutes. Of the 200 children and women that enter prostitution every single day over 80% of them enter against their own will. A third of them are under 18. The women and children trapped in the sex trade are in a horrible cycle of poverty, illiteracy and disease.
In 2005, Shannon Keith visited India and saw the devastation that lived on the streets and in the brothels. She saw girls sold into prostitution, orphans pimped, and women trying to feed their families. Many were held against their will while others were trapped by economics. The few that escaped the brothels frequently returned, just to survive.
Shannon then founded International Princess to give these women the opportunity to restore their lives and empower them. Her inspiration was the sari, the traditional garment of India.
International Princess began a sewing project teaching women to sew and giving them jobs so that they might have a way up out of the brothels.
Punjammies were created. Punjammies are pajamas sewn by women in India and sold in the US. The pajamas are made from Indian fabrics, by Indian women workers who are paid a decent wage. All proceeds from the sale of the pajamas go back to India where the funds are used to pay salaries, business expenses, create savings accounts and provide support and restoration to the women formerly enslaved in prostitution.
You may read more about International Princess at http://intlprincess.org/
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