The Exodus Road’s India Country Director Shyam Kamble receives prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award

The award from the Harmony Foundation acknowledges individuals and organizations who contribute in extraordinary ways to peace, harmony, and social justice.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, December 4, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Exodus Road's India Country Director Shyam Kamble has received the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award in recognition of his work disrupting human trafficking in India. The award's past recipients include individuals such as the Dalai Lama (2010), Malala Yousafzai (2012), and Dr. Anthony Fauci (2020).

The Mother Teresa Memorial Awards ceremony is held annually by the Harmony Foundation. It is the only event of its kind that is officially recognized by the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata. The event's purpose is "to acknowledge and recognize the extraordinary work of individuals or organizations who aim to promote peace, harmony and social justice." The award ceremony was held on November 26, 2023, at Taj Santacruz in Mumbai, India, and this year's Chief Guest was the Honorable Governor of Maharashtra, H.E. Ramesh Bais.

The theme of this year's ceremony was "Humanity in Action." The Harmony Foundation stated that Kamble was awarded "for his tireless efforts to rescue trafficked women and children in India, saving countless lives and inspiring change in the fight against human trafficking."

This recognition honors Kamble's 25 years of anti-trafficking work at both governmental and grassroots levels. Through his career combating trafficking, Kamble has led initiatives resulting in freedom for more than 2,400 survivors of sex trafficking across India. Shyam Kamble joined The Exodus Road in 2014, bringing with him a wealth of experience to the organization. As India Country Director, Kamble is chiefly responsible for The Exodus Road's efforts to identify victims of human trafficking and coordinate intervention operations with local police partners throughout the country. In addition to leading The Exodus Road's India investigative teams, Kamble serves on the organization's global International Advisory Board. He recently completed a term as the Board's Vice-Chair.

"I want to dedicate this award to The Exodus Road global family," Shyam Kamble stated in response to receiving the award. "Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our work in India and helped us to find so many who need rescue."

In the eight years that Shyam Kamble has served with The Exodus Road, he has supported law enforcement in freeing 801 survivors of trafficking and arresting 698 perpetrators. Nearly half of those survivors of trafficking have been underage girls — some as young as 12. Kamble has led the growth of The Exodus Road India Foundation, and he currently serves as Chair of the Foundation's board.

Andrew Hoskins, Vice President of Global Programs, says of Kamble's leadership: "Shyam brings his entire self to this work, and he does so with a humility that inspires the entire organization. We are continuously in awe of the powerful way that Shyam leads freedom work through The Exodus Road and across India. The Mother Teresa Memorial Award is a remarkable and well-earned recognition of the tireless way Shyam has dedicated his life to serving the exploited in India."

Shyam has previously received three different awards from the Indian government. He has also been placed on an advisory board as a consulting member for law enforcement in his state. The Mother Teresa Memorial Award is the latest recognition of his laudable justice work.

About The Exodus Road
The Exodus Road is a global nonprofit disrupting the darkness of modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime, equipping communities to protect the vulnerable, and empowering survivors as they walk into freedom. Working side-by-side with local staff, NGO partners, and law enforcement around the world, The Exodus Road fights to liberate trafficked individuals, arrest traffickers, and provide restorative care for survivors. Since its founding in 2012, the organization has assisted police in the rescue of more than 2,400 survivors and the arrests of more than 1,200 offenders, numbers that grow almost daily. The Exodus Road's approach to freedom incorporates intervention, training and education, and aftercare efforts.

In education, The Exodus Road offers TraffickWatch Academy: U.S., a free, online training module that unpacks the complexities of human trafficking, and TraffickWatch: Brazil, a similar program specifically for law enforcement partners. The organization has also launched "INFLUENCED," an educational curriculum equipping parents and teens to participate in the online world while avoiding the dangers of exploitation.

For additional information on what you can do to help stop trafficking, please visit The Exodus Road's website at https://theexodusroad.com/, or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Preston Goff
The Exodus Road
+1 719-941-9755
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