For fashion designer Anjali Phougat, awareness campaigns work best when people feel connected to the issue rather than simply being presented with statistics. Her experience with Garba Beyond Borders reinforced her belief that community gatherings can create that connection.
“I hope they leave with awareness first, and then with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to learn. We often hear statistics about human trafficking,” she said.
“When you bring the conversation into a community gathering, people begin to understand that this is not something happening somewhere far away to someone they will never know,” she added.
For her, that change in perception is an important first step. “It is a human issue. And awareness is the first step toward prevention,” she said.
The Garba setting gave people a chance to engage with the subject without feeling as though she added, “They were celebrating culture, music, and community while simultaneously becoming part of a message.”
She hopes that kind of experience can lead to conversations that continue after the event is over. “That creates what I call a ripple effect of positivity,” she said.
For her, that ripple can begin with something as simple as one person learning something new. “One person learns something. They speak to their family,” she said.
From there, another person may become curious, research the issue, or become more aware of the signs of exploitation. “Someone else becomes curious. Another person begins researching the issue. A young person becomes more conscious of the signs of exploitation,” she said.
Even if the event changes the perspective of just one person, she believes it has served a purpose. “That is how a conversation grows,” she said.
She added that if someone left the event wanting to understand the issue better, that itself would be a meaningful outcome. “If someone walked away from the event thinking, ‘I never knew this was such a serious issue, I want to understand more,’ then the event has already achieved something meaningful,” Anjali shared.