Countless Children Of S*x Workers Have Been Given A New Life, Thanks To Ram Ingole

His own family disowned him, and his business suffered but Ram didn’t give up 

It was the 1980s and Nagpur was growing as a city. People from all parts of India were flocking to Nagput in search of a better life. During this time, the civil society of Nagpur started a protest to evict the commercial s*x workers who had settled in the Ganga Jamuna region of the city. 

“I was a teenager then, brimming with energy and resolved to make a difference in society. But, if I am being honest, I didn’t have much idea about the way these s*x workers spend their lives. Like many others, I used to think that these were women with loose morals, but soon I would learn the reality and see the seamy side of life,” - Ram Ingole, Founder, Amrapali Utkarsh Sangh (AUS). 

The ill-treatment, physical abuse, and police brutality that these s*x workers faced enraged young Ram. He wanted to change their plight and give them a respectful life. But it was a humungous task. 

“That’s when I realised that I should work to rescue the children of these s*x workers. All their childhood, they would live amidst this filth and soon, when they were of age, they would be sucked into this trade. I wanted to stop this and give them a life of dignity.” 

While everyone around him, even his own family doubted him and his business took a hit - these mothers in the red light area placed their trust on this young man in his early 20s who had barely any idea of bringing up a child. But Ram Bhau did his best, despite all the obstacles. He finally registered Amrapali Utkarsh Sangh in the year 1992. The children of the s*x workers found a safe home in Vimalashram. Before that, he had to change his residence seven times because of objections from the neighbours. In 2007, a kind donor also helped him build a residential school for many more underprivileged children of migrant workers and stone quarry workers in Panchgaon, 25 km from Nagpur.   

Through sheer hard work and determination, Ram Bhau has given a new life to countless children  

Ram Ingole started with just 4 kids but slowly people saw the change he was bringing about in society and started supporting him. Now, his organisation is taking care of 97 kids in total. Newspapers took his interviews, like-minded people joined hands and soon he was making a real difference in the lives of these underprivileged kids. Even in his sixties, he is not ready to slow down. He wants to reach out to many more in need. 

“My children have grown to become engineers, teachers, and government employees. Some have even become social workers. Seeing them live a life of happiness and contentment, gives me the greatest joy. But I know there is so much more to be done - please help me so that I can continue this work.” 

While Ram Bhau has been managing the expenses of the organisation with his own savings and with the help of well-wishers, the lack of consistent donations often becomes a roadblock. You can help him by donating groceries, hygiene products, and stationery for the kids. Besides that, he also needs your support for construction materials to build a high and secured boundary wall for the Panchgaon residential school that is situated adjacent to a huge expanse of forest. Every donation is sure to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children.  

About the NGO: Based out of Nagpur, Maharashtra, Amrapali Utkarsh Sangh was established by Ram Ingole in 1992. He started with just 4 kids slowly people saw the change he was bringing about in society and started supporting him. Now, his organisation is taking care of 97 kids in total. Newspapers took his interviews, like-minded people joined hands and soon he was making a real difference in the lives of these underprivileged kids. Even in his sixties, he is not ready to slow down. He wants to reach out to many more in need.