ASIA - Apr 26, 2004
The Humsafar Drop In Centre for Indian sexual minorities opened its doors in Mumbai on April 25. The center was inaugurated by writer-celebrity columnist Shobha De who expressed her joy that the city's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities finally had a warm, comforting and safe space to gather. She said it was a matter of pride that the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the state had responded to the needs of community.Since the mid-'90s, The Humsafar Trust has struggled to create a drop-in center to help meet the pressing need of the LGBT community for a haven, free from fear of harassment or violence. There are two distinct areas in this new center - a lounge area and an events/workshops area. The center will provide social and recreational space and services for the community, while carrying on the fight against HIV/AIDS. Counseling and medical services are located on a second floor, along with administration. The Drop In Centre is open six days a week from 2pm to 8pm. It is also open monthly on the 2nd and 4th Sundays for "Sunday High"meetings organized by the Bombay Dost from 5pm to 8pm. For more information, please contact: Mr. Vivek Anand, c/o The Humsafar Trust, 1/F Vakola Municipal Market Building, Nehru Road, Vakola, Santa Cruz (East), Mumbai, India - 400 055. Phone: 2618-7476, 2665-0547. |
