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.

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Team Mission Update Nepal 14th APRIL

Another day down in Nepal.

The team split into teams again to visit hostels, to continue training, and a host of other roles.
One team spent the morning with the toddlers and babies in the Miriam Centre while another group played with the 8 - 10 year olds. This group donated a soccer ball and spent their time vigorously playing leader ball, tunnel ball and the like much to the delight of the children.

Everyone reported a fantastic time of loving on the kids. All being impacted and touched with messages written on hands, cuddles, time spent sitting on laps. A wonderful experience.

Easy to love these little ones.


Our neighbours have been celebrating the new year and a wedding. Here are some shots of the incredibly loud band that marched the streets to announce the wedding. A marquee was erected in the vacant block next door and a street kitchen cooked all afternoon to feed the invited guests. The band with four drummers, trumpets, tuba, and a traditional seven foot long horn marched the lane ways celebrating. Again let me tell you they were LOUD!

The Wedding band. 

The wedding kitchen.

The band leader.

***
The red dot on the forehead know as the Tikka is a ceremonial part of the Hindu religion in Nepal. A red Tikka is asking for "good" in life, in finances, family etc.
A yellow dot is in memory of a deceased loved one. People may choose to wear no Tikka for up to 12 months while in mourning without any questions being asked about not wearing the Tikka.
A red Tikka with a silver marking indicates the wearer has been to the temple, a noble and required act.
A Tikka of red and white tells everyone that you have given to the temple.

Being a Christian in this sort of society means you stand out immediately and makes life a lot more difficult. We acknowledge the committed stance our Christian brothers and sisters make in this land.

Rainy days.
The festivals that are celebrated regularly in this country are many and varied. Currently the people are celebrating another large festival time. Crowds of hundreds of people line the streets waiting a turn in one of the dozens of small temples scattered throughout the cities, towns and villages.

A walk through the Stupa temple grounds. Seed for sale.

Laundry day.
Today is a festival day as well as new year. A part of this festival is to celebrate a married woman's husband, to pray a long healthy life for him. In a society and culture that places little value on females a woman left without her husband is facing the end of her own existence, so to pray good for your man serves the ladies interests also.


Spinning the prayer wheels.
Three, four sometimes more!
Tonights sunset. The rain clouds are clearing.
Tonights conversation to close team devotions saw many share the high points that today's activities wrought. It was a terrific opportunity to learn more about each other and to join in the things that make a trip with Transform the Nations mission awareness tours so rewarding.

Till next time.
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