For two girls born in Kamathipura, Mumbai’s red-light district, it was a dream come true when they were told they had been accepted to one of the world’s most prestigious study-abroad programmes, Semester at Sea (SAS). But a lack of funds could now sour this dream for one of them, as she does not have the money to buy an air ticket to the US, where the course is scheduled to begin in just over a week.

Kavita and Shweta are half-sisters and best friends, and are thrilled at the opportunity to attend the course together