Social activists from the US learn Lungi dance from girls of Sonagachhi and Munshiganj at Eden Gardens Park, adjacent to the cricket stadium, on Monday morning

Day One: connecting with women in the lanes of Sonagachhi in the evening

Day Two: listening to the plight of prostituted women on the greens of Eden Gardens Park in the morning, learning Lungi dance on the side, and a lunch of rice, daal, aloo dum and peas paneer cooked by a group trying to break out of prostitution

Sounds like somebody’s having a picnic, but actually 24 social activists from the US were going through the serious business of “building a global movement” against sex trafficking in Calcutta under the initiative of NoVo Foundation, an NGO of Warren Buffett’s son Peter and daughter-in-law Jennifer.

Called Move to End Violence, the 10-year programme began three years ago “to end violence of all kinds against women and girls”.

“We’re here to meet and share our objectives, strategise together and to learn from all the amazing activists here in India. There’s so much to learn,” said Pamela Shifman, the director of initiatives for girls and women at the NoVo Foundation.

In fact, her team is carrying forward the “learning tour” of Gloria Steinem-led and NoVo-sponsored delegation of high-profile thought leaders who camped in Calcutta last year to experience “the incredible activism in India”.

Ruchira Gupta, founder-president of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a grassroots movement to end sex trafficking, has again steered the tour this year with a three-day stint in Delhi followed by two days in Calcutta.

On Sunday, the activists, educators and organisers experienced some “intense” moments during an evening walk in the alleys of Sonagachhi, Asia’s largest red-light district. They spent more than an hour interacting with the women in prostitution.

“It was very moving. What surprised me was how it seemed normal when we saw people worshipping, people in grain shops and people celebrating something (Kartik Puja)… When we were sitting in a room with them, it felt like a refuge and a place of hope in a place where they don’t have too many choices. We wanted to know what their hopes and dreams are,” said Kristen Zimmerman from California.

“I’ve visited this place a year-and-a-half ago and the change I could feel is that a lot of organising is happening right now,” Kristen said. But for Cristy Chung, a social justice activist who works on issues of domestic violence, it was a first and a moving one too.

Monday began with a strong focus on what they have been here for — to build human connection for the success of their campaign.

Seated in circles on the Eden greens, the team listened to members of Mahila Mandal (Apne Aap’s women’s group) as they narrated their plight as young girls pushed into a life of sexual bondage.

The Kishori Mandal (the below-18 girls’ group of Apne Aap) talked about their dreams of becoming doctors and dancers before lightening up the atmosphere with a medley of song and dance — setting the stage for the American team to try Lungi dance steps.

“It was so much fun! I was so inspired by their dream and the naturalness of being able to connect,” Kristen said after dancing with the adolescent girls from Sonagachhi and Munshiganj, the red-light area at Kidderpore.

“The guests we met today gave us confidence. They are trying to take women like us out of the dirt… into a place where people will respect us. It’s something we need to think about at least for the sake of our children,” said 28-year-old Rani after the hour-long exchange.

From Eden, the team headed for Apne Aap’s centre at Munshiganj to meet children of prostituted women, 10 of who run Sonar Bangla, a kitchen-oriented self-empowerment project. These women served them lunch.

“These NGO workers come with their experience of working with women prisoners, women in prostitution, domestic violence victims… They are here to share their strategies and experiences with us on combating the cult of masculinity that breeds all forms of violence against women,” said Ruchira, who is also a member of NoVo’s advisory panel.

The visitors’ next stop is Santiniketan.