This is the story of Mary* (name changed for privacy), a girl born in a Dalit family in the far western region of Nepal, Kanchanpur. The term “Dalit” refers to a group of people traditionally regarded as “untouchables” in the caste system of India, Nepal, and other South Asian countries. Historically, Dalits have faced social, economic, and political discrimination and have been relegated to the lowest positions in society. The term “Dalit” itself means “oppressed” or “downtrodden” in Sanskrit. It’s important to note that efforts to address discrimination against Dalits and promote their rights and equality have been ongoing, but significant challenges remain.
Like most of the families in her village, Mary’s family had suffered socio-economically. Being a Dalit and poor wasn’t their choice. They couldn’t afford a decent life or chances to get better. Her life took a turn when she got married at the early age of fifteen, influenced by her friends, society, and family conditions. They were in love, but her husband started mistreating her after a couple of months of being married. One time, he even hit her until she fell unconscious on the floor. She was miserable and equated her life to being a captive because of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband.
Her husband’s cruelty was limitless, and he threatened to sell her in a brothel and make money off her. He tried to strangle her, but fortunately, she escaped the situation. There was no place she had not gone to for justice, her family, relatives, and local authority, but she was ignored. A concept that Nepalese firmly believe is that when your married daughter returns to you, you should not accept her. So, she could not return to her parents because society had overlooked the negative aspects of early marriage and domestic violence.
Mary found herself in a hopeless situation when her husband was about to sell her, so she bravely decided to run away from home. With nowhere else to go, she headed towards the border, hoping to find help to cross into India. It was a good thing that our dedicated team in Nepal, 3 Angels Nepal, found her and provided her with assistance. They transferred her to Women’s Safe Haven, where she received shelter, counseling, care, and training to develop skills.
Women Safe Haven is open to women who have abusive relationships who have nowhere else to turn.
During her stay there, Mary felt a strong desire to help other girls in similar situations and decided to take training to become a border checker. She has been working with the 3 Angels Team for 11 years and considers her life to have gone from zero to a hundred, a complete turnaround. We all understand what she means by that. Today, Mary tirelessly works to save girls like her and is one of the most active and committed staff members on our team in Nepal.
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The Children Garden is a children-oriented program where participants showcase their talents and inspire other child listeners.
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