PANAJI
She has changed the future of nearly 10,000 women and children across the slums in Goa in over two decades. Bhimavva Chalwadi’s life has been one of unthinkable hardship, spirit and ultimately, transformation. Forced into the Devadasi system at just 15 and rescued from commercial sexual exploitation a year later, she has spent the past 23 years rewriting not just her own story but those of thousands of women and children in Goa’s slums.
Today, at 40, Chalwadi is a beacon of hope, particularly in Mormugao’s slums, where she tirelessly works as a volunteer advocating for child protection, women’s rights and an end to exploitative traditions. A single mother to a teenager, she has turned her painful past into a driving force for change.
“I watched my alcoholic father destroy our family while my mother struggled as a ragpicker to feed us. I was the eldest of six sisters and never had the chance to attend school. Then, I was pushed into an illicit life,” Chalwadi recalled.
Originally from Karnataka, she was rescued in 2001 from Baina, the bygone red-light area and lodged in the State-run protective home. Two years later, NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ) offered her a path to rehabilitation -- a turning point in her life.
Over the years, Chalwadi has dedicated herself to educating vulnerable communities, ensuring that young girls are not forced into prostitution. “My team and I work in the slums, raising awareness about these issues,” she said adding, “Through this work, I have come to understand why some women and girls end up in such situations. We show them alternative ways to earn a livelihood and secure a better future for their children.”
Her efforts have had a tangible impact as many women she has worked with are now in respectable professions with some even finding employment abroad. Some children, previously at risk, have been placed in schools and boarding institutions within and outside Goa, in what she claims is breaking the cycle of illicit sexual exploitation.
ARZ Director Arun Pandey said that Chalwadi’s relentless grassroots advocacy has transformed the lives of about 10,000 women and girls from marginalized communities. “Beyond awareness campaigns, she facilitates rescues, rehabilitation programmes and empowerment initiatives, to ensure survivors regain dignity and financial independence. She is a symbol of resilience and change, proving that even in the face of adversity, one person's courage can alter the destiny of thousands,” he added.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. In 2019, she received the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Women Exemplar Award.
