Vivek Oberoi joins designers against human trafficking at WIFW

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New Delhi: Actor Vivek Oberoi, tennis aceLeander Paes and 12 leading designers of the industry joined hands at the WIFW to support an awareness campaign on human trafficking.

Vivek Oberoi, who along with his family is involved withseveral charities in Chennai and Mumbai, said he was proud tobe associated with this cause.

"I have been working with children ravaged by traffickingin Vrindavan for the past few years. It was a small movementbut today I can proudly say that we have three schools and3000 girls who we have rescued. I felt great to be part ofthis initiative as well," he said.

The essence of the campaign by You can free us, an NGOfounded by NRI philanthropist Sujo John, is a photo exhibitioncomprising 12 images created by celebrity photographer SubiSamuel.

The images are of a girl Alice (name changed), a sexworker based here and rehabilitated by the NGO.

The concept of the shoot, based on the theme Ashes toBeauty depicted the transformation in the life of Alice, whoemerged from the horrors of sex trafficking and has found newbeginning.

Dressed in an-all white suit, Paes walked the ramp withAlice, who looked demure in an orange salwar kameez, a far cryfrom the glamorous avatar in the shots.

"Our country is the capital of human trafficking in theworld. This is sad and it bothers me. My contribution may belike a drop of water in the ocean but I want to createripples," Paes said.

The models sashayed down the ramp in creations bydesigners like Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Beri, J J Valaya, SunnetVerma, Manish Arora, Shantanu and Nikhil, Rohit Gandhi, RahulKhanna and others.

The exhibition will also go to various galleries here andin Mumbai in the coming months. An auction of the images andoutfits has also been planned.