Eight years ago, two siblings from Vienna, Virginia,
traveled to India to volunteer at Bal Ashram,
an orphanage in Jaipur. They noticed that many
of the children were afraid to talk to them. It was
only later that the siblings, Medhnaa and Kushaan
Saran, learned that the children were survivors of
human trafficking and child labor.
Touched by the children’s plight, Medhnaa,
now 15, and Kushaan, 14, began collecting
donations for them, including clothing and sports
equipment. In 2016, Medhnaa and Kushaan
founded the Touch of Life
Foundation, which helps
raise awareness about
child labor and trafficking,
and organizes fundraisers to benefit the children
at Bal Ashram orphanage.
“Trafficking is so detrimental because it
causes a lot of mental and physical trauma,
so that’s why it is so important that people know
the signs and the risks involved,” Medhnaa told
The Vienna Connection.
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
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