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.

Sunday 25 January 2015

Sunday, 25th January, Reunion, sponsor letters and weddings.

While visiting one of the hostels, I was so pleased to see a little family reunion.  Mum in the middle, with three daughters and one niece (in the floral pants).  We were there out in the village when these girls were rescued from extremely poor conditions.  The mother had pleaded for help.  She has been away working, but was so glad to see her girls looking so well.  They are a very handsome group.  The oldest girl will be on the Freedom Tour starting in June in Australia.
Girls delighted at their sponsor letters delivered to them yesterday.  Everyone crowds around trying to get a look at the pictures of the sponsors and their families.
Our lovely young manager at the guesthouse with his pretty wife and little son Nelson (after Mandella).  They were off to a family wedding today in all their finery.  He was meeting some of the in-laws for the first time, and was a little apprehensive.





Everything in Nepal is over the top colour.  This house is bright blue, with bright orange in the stairwell and lime green inside the rooms.  Part of the house is tiled outside to keep grandma happy.  She wanted the whole house tiled, but it was too expensive,so part of the front was tiled, to honour her request.  You see, I keep up with the local gossip.  Today, I spent most of the day interviewing some of the girls we sponsor.  As we have around 200 girls, plus boys and babies, it is quite a lot to keep up with.  We try to do interviews each time we are here.  Grahame was supposed to fly out south today to inspect a project out there.  He arrived at  the airport at 11a.m.and there was an announcement that the flight had been cancelled at 3 pm. because of fog at the other end.  So four hours sitting in the airport.  Par for the course here.  Just shrug it off and do the next thing.  We have been invited out for dinner tomorrow night with a lovely family we have had a lot to do with.  It will be our last night here.  We fly to Myanmar on Tuesday evening for 8 days.    Robyn  
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