Desperate Girls

The Badi Girls

Between 7,000 and 12,000 young girls, aged 9-16, are trafficked each year from Nepal; mainly to India. According to Nepal Monitor/On line journal, 2007, there are more than 200,000 Nepali girls in Indian brothels.

The Dalits(untouchables) are the lowest level in Hindu society, and the Badi community, in Western Nepal, are the lowest of the low. As a displaced hungry people group the Badi community has made sexual subservience a way of life. Young girls from this group “serve” other groups. This has become a tradition and means of livelihood. Many girls, even when they are unwilling, are forced to serve as sex slaves. Family members knowingly sell their daughters to traffickers.

Though prostitution is illegal in Nepal, the industry reportedly has links with highly ranked officials and political leaders. Large groups of girls are taken across the border with many police and government officials being in collusion with traffickers and brothel owners.

Traffickers and related criminals are often protected by political parties, and if arrested, are freed using political power. As a result, there is an underlying distrust of police that has led people not to file cases against traffickers.

Domestic action involves activities of NGO’s and other volunteer groups. These groups are playing a major role to address girl-trafficking and sex slaves issues. Some NGO’s are playing a very important role to improve the situation. From creating social awareness to rescuing and rehabilitation, they are providing services (and relief) to those that need it the most – the likely victims as well as the rescued ones. The Lighthouse foundation is one of these.

*See Chandra Kala’s story on this blog site.

Monday 14 April 2014

Sunday 13 April. Movement on the station

The Mackay ChristianSchool team left at 6.30 am this morning to fly out to Nepalgunj near the Indian border, and then embarked on a two and a half hour trip up those famous Nepali roads up the mountain.  They have arrived, weary, but keen to be there and see where our girls come from, the school we have there and to contribute to the community there.  Peter is spending the next four days doing leadership training with 63 pastors and church leaders.  Lyn is teaching effective teaching and leadership series 2.  The girls will be painting some rooms, and Johnno with be doing maintenance of generators, bikes and the bus and everything else that moves ( or doesn't move when it should) .  I did another round of photos and updates of our girls, Shirley and Patsy continued on with ESL.  We have some sickness in the team with 3 down with various maladies.  Grahame has been preparing for a week of teaching at the  Bible school, from 9a.m. To 5p.m.starting tomorrow.  Surprisingly, it is New Year's Eve tonight in Nepal.  Tomorrow it will be 2071.  We hope there won't be too much partying.  It is enough to contend with yapping dogs at night.

Robyn

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