Every year, we produce new issues of this magazine as a way to thank Freedom Partners like you for faithfully supporting the work of protecting vulnerable people from violence. This magazine has been a way to bring you closer to the impact of your support by sharing more intimate and in-depth stories of freedom. This year, we're excited to bring you those same powerful stories with a brand new look! Though we've refreshed the magazine's design to create a cleaner, more engaging reading experience, the heart remains the same. We hope you enjoy reading the incredible story of Amaragiri— a story you helped make possible.
WELCOME to AMARAGI R I
AMARAGIRI IS THE KIND OF PLACE YOU NEVER FORGET.
Colourful thatched-roof homes line sunbaked paths. The smell of wood smoke wafts in the morning air as families cook breakfast on open hearths. Fish nets hang to dry in the breeze next to overturned boats. A river teeming with fish weaves alongside the village between lush, green hills.
The natural beauty of Amaragiri village is stunning. But it’s the people that leave you awestruck—the smiling faces of a thriving community who have overcome unimaginable odds to build dignified lives for themselves and future generations.
The story of Amaragiri is close to my heart because I was a firsthand witness to the miraculous transformation experienced by the community. When I first visited the village in 2016 as an IJM investigator, their smiles weren’t beaming like they are today. They wore the heavy expressions of a people trapped in exploitation.
A decade ago, the story of Amaragiri would have been about how a vulnerable community was trapped in a cycle of bonded labour for generations. Today, the story is about how that same community reclaimed their freedom and became bold leaders, passionate advocates and savvy entrepreneurs.
Miracles like this are only possible because of people like you who are committed to the long, enduring work of justice. On behalf of the people of Amaragiri, thank you for showing up day after day, month after month and year after year, until all are free.
MUKESH RAJPUT | State Program Director, IJM India
the Chenchu Tribe
Dear Friends,
THE CHENCHU TRIBE is one of India’s many traditional indigenous communities. For thousands of years, they lived in forests, hunting and gathering food for survival. They also used the forest's resources to produce and sell goods like gum, honey and other natural products to nearby communities.
But in the 60s, new environmental regulations and the construction of a dam displaced the tribe from their homes and livelihoods. Over 100 of them were forced to move into a small nearby village named Amaragiri and find a new way to make a living in modern society.
Although the Chenchu tribe is rich in tradition and cultural knowledge, their access to formal education has been historically limited or non-existent. When they were displaced from their homes, they had no knowledge of the law or their human rights, no personal documents or identification, and no means of generating income. This made them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
Three businessmen living in Amaragiri village quickly recognized the vulnerable position of their new tribal neighbors. The Chenchus had no work, no income, no formal education and no knowledge of their own human rights. So the men devised a plan.
The businessmen offered the Chenchus fishing boats and fishing nets as a means of earning an income. But they came with a high cost.
In exchange for the fishing equipment, the families were made to sell their catch to the men at a cost far below market value. Over the years, the men also provided financial loans to the families for repairing these boats and nets three times each year, then falsified interest to keep them trapped in a cycle of debt.
This continued f or another 30 years.
The Villagers of Amaragiri
For more than three decades, over 100 people from this tribal community were trapped in bonded labour.
The Chenchu tribe lives in the Indian state of Telangana.
PHOTO: Samantha Abraham
Until All Are Free
AN ESTIMATED 12.7 million people in India
ARE EXPLOITED BY TRAFFICKERS THROUGH A COMMON FORM OF TRAFFICKING CALLED BONDED LABOUR*
*Siddharth Kara, 2012
Typically, in cases of bonded labour, a cash advance is involved. But in the case of Amaragiri, advances came in the form of fishing boats, nets and other necessary materials. For over three decades, they were forced to sell their catch to the same three businessmen for just 24 to 36 cents per kilogram, while the men sold it at the market for more than $1*.
The villagers weren't allowed to keep any fish to eat—they had to buy it back at full price. Their meager earnings left them entirely dependent, unable to survive or repay what they supposedly owed.
If they took time off or returned with too small a catch, they were often scolded or beaten. On one occasion, a man was beaten to death.
There was no escape. With little education or awareness, the villagers couldn't keep track of what they owed. The businessmen claimed it was anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 rupees ($360–$1,200 USD). And if anyone brought up the possibility of working elsewhere, they were told they’d first have to pay off these impossible debts.
The businessmen got away with this abuse for generations because the Chenchus were unaware of their rights, functionally living without the protection of the local justice system.
Isolated from those who could protect them, the villagers believed the men’s lies and remained trapped in a system designed to exploit them perpetually. ��
The Villagers of Amaragiri
WHAT IS BONDED LABOUR?
Bonded labour is a form of modern slavery where individuals, families, or, in rare cases, entire communities are forced to work in harsh conditions to repay debt.
Perpetrators often manipulate this debt and use violence to maintain their power. They exert control over the victim’s daily life, work and decisions by depriving them of wages, food and basic freedoms—leaving millions afraid, humiliated and trapped for years or generations.
According to an Indian law called the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, there are four conditions that need to be met for a person to qualify as a victim of bonded labour:
1. Forced labour, unfair or no wages, indefinite duration
2. No freedom of employment
3 Loss of right to move freely
4. Loss of right to sell at market value
BREAKING A
Generational Cycle of Violence
AMARAGIRI IS ABOUT 20 minutes away from the nearest small town. Hidden out of sight, local businessmen were able to exploit Chenchu families in the area without any resistance or accountability. For decades, nobody knew it was happening.
Meanwhile, just 30 minutes away by car, IJM’s partnerships team in Delhi had just finished a training session on bonded labour for the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD). As FSD members felt more equipped to spot signs of bonded labour, they began looking for cases in the community. One staff member recalled seeing children fishing along the banks of the Krishna River and accompanied IJM to investigate the situation further.
In early January, IJM investigator Mukesh Rajput arrived in Amaragiri in the afternoon along with several other IJM and FSD staff. It was oddly quiet, and the streets were mostly empty. The team couldn’t find a single person to talk to for more than 30 minutes. They were about to head back when they saw someone open
the door to his house. Inside sat a man with a severely malnourished child on his lap. With the help of a translator, Mukesh began to ask the man questions about life in Amaragiri.
“We came to know that most of the population of the village leaves to fish in the early hours, spending the entire day in deep water. Sometimes they spend weeks away from home on small islands or in the forest adjoining the river. Children also go fishing in small bowl-shaped boats. All the catch from fishing goes to the processing unit located in the village,” Mukesh said.
Mukesh soon encountered another person in the village. The man shared that nobody in the village was allowed to sell their fish at the market, because everyone owed money to the owner of the processing unit. Everyone had some sort of debt to the businessmen, whether it was for nets, boats, machinery, or cash. At that moment, Mukesh came to an incredibly sobering conclusion.
“The entire village is working in bonded labour.”
Mukesh and his team immediately
For three decades, the children of Amaragiri were born into a life of bonded labour. Today, they are born free.
PHOTO:
S. Ajay Kumar
brought their findings to the local government, who at first found it difficult to believe that an entire village could be trapped in bonded labour. But IJM and FSD continued to advocate for intervention, and officials agreed to investigate that same week.
“I still recall what I saw when we first went into those houses,” remembers Anu George Canjanathoppil, who led interventions with IJM Delhi at the time.
“A mother had left her two children outside at the entrance of the door... They were sitting by the doorway, staring into the abyss of nothingness and eating this unfit-for-human-consumption rice with water.
I went there and said, ‘Yes, the officials have come. You will be free to go if you tell them the truth.’ As soon as I said this, the mother flung the plate away from her children, grabbed her kids and ran to where the officials were,” Anu recalls.
Alongside government officials, IJM and FSD gathered more than 100 residents and sat them in rows for questioning. As the head official spoke with the families, they bravely recounted the interactions with the businessmen that led to their enslavement.
Thanks to the courageous testimonies of the villagers, the government had all the evidence they needed to intervene. They immediately brought the victims to the government office to begin the procedures for releasing them from bonded labour.
The businessmen were influential and wealthy enough to put pressure on government officials to drop the case, but IJM and FSD were unrelenting in their advocacy for justice. And in the end, justice won.
That same night, authorities issued 65 Release Certificates to the adults, freeing a total of 106 people. The government also gave financial compensation to all of the survivors.
On January 7, 2016, the villagers woke up to the same reality of bonded labour they had faced for three decades. When they returned home that night, they were free. ��
The smiling faces of villagers Joythi (above) Karriswammy (below) and Venkataiah (right) tell the new story of a community thriving in freedom.
PHOTOS:(left) Jerusha Venkatarangam (right) Samantha Abraham
PORTRAITS of AMARAGIRI
Amaragiri village is filled with stories that show us what’s possible when vulnerable communities live under the safety and protection of the law.
WHEN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE are brought to safety, IJM works with partners to help survivors receive the critical support needed to heal and reintegrate safely back into society. For the villagers of Amaragiri, this meant educating and empowering them to prevent them from being exploited again.
People in Amaragiri village convene regularly to attend community trainings and support one another in freedom.
IJM’s local partner, FSD, led workshops and training sessions to help villagers learn about government welfare services and their legal human rights. But they also went a step further to help young adults embrace leadership and ownership of the future of their community.
The Villagers of Amaragiri
A CLEAN SLATE
Beaming with a radiant smile, Ishwaramma’s description of how much she enjoys fishing transports you out on the river with her—sailing slowly and enjoying the gentle sounds of her small, round, makeshift boat cutting through the water.
Years ago, she left her home village to marry her husband and followed him back to Amaragiri. They began fishing together on the Krishna River, but soon found they were only permitted to sell their fish to one family in the village, as the rest of the community had been doing for many years.
“My husband told me that the boats and nets he was using were given to him by the owners, and so we had to sell all our fish to them,” Ishwaramma remembers.
After the rescue operation in January 2016, Ishwaramma and her husband now have Release Certificates. Today, they can fish freely on any day they feel like and sell the catch in the market for competitive prices. Ishwaramma sometimes grazes her sister’s goats when she wants a
quiet day in the open lands near the forest. The debts they thought they owed the owners have all been cancelled, giving them an opportunity to start with a clean slate.
Ishwaramma has found regular work through a government program that guarantees 15 days of employment a month. The FSD team has also connected Ishwaramma’s family with another government program to build them a house.
Ishwaramma is undaunted by the circumstances she has experienced in her life. She says, “The FSD people are like our parents. They have connected us to different government benefits. We know they will bring us out of our dark circumstances and give us a better life.”
PHOTO: Samantha Abraham
Until All Are Free
EMBRACING A NEW LIFE IN FREEDOM
Lingamma’s life changed when a flood destroyed her village along the Krishna River—washing away homes, boats, and belongings. With nothing left, her family managed to survive by selling wild fruits or making furniture from chopped wood. Desperate for stability, they accepted an offer from a local businessman in Amaragiri: boats, nets, and a promise of steady fishing income. Like so many others, she was tricked.
On the day of the rescue operation, Lingamma received Release Certificates from the government, formally canceling the false debts that had trapped her family and the entire village for years.
“The villagers began to live in fear,” Lingamma recalls. “The boats and nets were loans, and the owners constantly reminded us.”
Today, she lives in Amaragiri with her husband and two sons. Her oldest earns a steady income taking care of a herd of goats.
Lingamma is hopeful they can protect this new life—free from debt—by working hard and supporting one another.
PHOTO: Samantha Abraham
A GRANDFATHER’S HAPPINESS
Venkataiah’s home is surrounded by the laughter of his four sons, two daughters, and nine grandchildren—and he’s never been happier.
“My grandchildren make me a very happy man,” he says with a proud smile. “I hope they all study well and find work beyond fishing.”
He was one of the many villagers trapped in bonded labour. Living far from a clinic, the cost of basic medical supplies or transport was used to further inflate his debt. Eventually, he lost track of how much he was said to owe.
Now free, Venkataiah and his sons fish on their own terms. As a respected village elder, he encourages youth to explore other skills for better opportunities.
“Our lives have changed after the rescue in so many ways,” Venkataiah said.
Venkataiah is a father, a grandfather, a village elder, a fisherman... and now a free man.
PHOTO: S. Ajay Kumar
“I want more people like me to be rescued, I know the pain of bondage—and I know what freedom feels like. I want others to have that same chance.”
- MALLAIAH -
Mallaiah was one of the hundred who were rescued from bonded labour in Amaragiri village. He was a student at the time. Today, he is Amaragiri's Deputy Panchayat President and also a member of IJM’s Global Survivor Network Leadership Council.
PHOTOS: Joshua Joel Prakash
The Villagers of Amaragiri
FROM BONDED LABOUR TO VILLAGE LEADER
Mallaiah was only eight years old when he joined his family on a fishing boat for the first time. He had no idea he was stepping into a life of bonded labour, or that his family had already endured decades of exploitation.
“We didn’t even know we were in bondage until government officials came and told us,” Mallaiah recalls. “We prayed for help.”
He was 16 years old when he began to rebuild his life in freedom. He completed 12th grade and showed early leadership potential. “At first he was shy,” shares Vasudeva from FSD. “But after joining us in meetings and rescue operations, he grew confident…now, he can even speak with top government officials.”
In 2018, with FSD’s encouragement, Mallaiah ran in his village’s local elections—and won. As Deputy President of Amaragiri, he began advocating fiercely for his community. With his leadership, families gained access to essentials like food rations, voter IDs, and fishing equipment.
His biggest accomplishment? Persuading the government to fund a $39,600 fish-processing unit, giving the village a safe, sustainable way to earn income without abusive middlemen.
Mallaiah is now a devoted husband and father. His wife serves as a bookkeeper for women-led self-help groups, and together, they continue working to empower their entire village.
“As Deputy Sarpanch, I want to bring every benefit to Amaragiri,” he says. “And I hope to become President one day.”
Today, Mallaiah’s impact extends far beyond his village. In 2023, he was selected to join the leadership council as part of the Global Survivor Network, an international group of survivors shaping and leading a movement to protect people from violence. Now, he’s using his voice for freedom on a global stage.
“I want more people like me to be rescued,” he says. “I know the pain of bondage—and I know what freedom feels like. I want others to have that same chance.”
The Villagers of Amaragiri
It Takes a Village
IT’S BEEN almost a decade since the village of Amaragiri was freed from bonded labour, and the community is almost unrecognizable. The Chenchu people who were once terrified of outsiders are now courageously leading conversations with government leaders. They are in regular communication with local authorities, proactively working to overcome any obstacles they face as they reclaim agency over their lives.
Since the rescue, the local government has approved 22 new houses for construction, providing more families with safety and security. The government and IJM's local partner, the Foundation for Sustainable Development, have coordinated school bus service, so children will grow up with quality education. Families now also have access to government benefits like Ration Cards, which give them access to free or discounted necessities like rice and wheat.
Everybody has a role to play in helping Amaragiri village thrive. Some are survivors who now hold key government positions, some carry on with their regular fishing routines, and some are government officials who ensure that everyone experiences equal protection under the law.
It takes a village to make transformation on this scale possible. To rescue even one person trapped in bonded labour was once considered an impossible task. But IJM’s Freedom Partner community has proved time and time again that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice when we work together to make it happen—even when it seems impossible.
Amaragiri is just one beautiful example of what happens when people like you choose to show up to help protect vulnerable people from violence, again and again, for as long as it takes, until all are free. ��
THANK YOU FOR BEING A FREEDOM PARTNER.
INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION is a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence. IJM partners with local authorities in 33 program offices in 19 countries to combat slavery, violence against women and children, and other forms of abuse against people who are poor. IJM works to rescue and restore victims hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen public justice systems. Until all are free.
