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.

Thursday, 27 September 2012

Last day at the Guest House

I have come to the end of one chapter of my trip and begin another.
Today I leave the guest house and head to the Himalayan Hotel for the first stage of my tour. it has been wonderful over the last 3 weeks, obviously the trip out west the first week was the highlight, bringing the girls back to safety even though it was very scary at times. Horrible hotels, but these were mansions compared to where the girls live, roads with sheer cops on one side and land slides on the other, crazy drivers where I had my eyes shut more than open and much much more. But oh I would not have changed any of it at all.    
Our team was great. Each of us had something different to bring to the trip.
I consider the school  "my school" now and the children "my children". It is impossible not to fall in love with each and every one of them. One little boy in grade 4 will be Prime Minister by the time he is 30 I am sure.
Kisses and cuddles are the norm and the children's prayer just takes my breath away.
Teaching stretched me to my limits but I got through it and am very happy with the result. Robyn and Graham said  "I would only achieve half of what I planned to"  and that is right but we are in a 3rd world country.
I will be back, to help with the Vocational Program and the Transition to Work, but it will be in 2014.
Yesterday I had one of my wishes granted when I got to go on the back of a motor bike through the crazy traffic. So much fun I loved it. Susan, (that is what we call him) the driver, who is a house parent at one of the hostels asked if he was going to fast and I said "no go faster and he did"
 
I am looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful country and I know I will be amazed.
I know if I say it has been "life changing" you are all probably thinking yeah, yeah, it does seem to be a overused saying, but right now but I have no other works to describe it.
This will be my last blog but to all my dear friends and family thank you for your prayers, (I am sure they kept the bus on the road) and I will see you in a week or so.

Love Trish xxxxxx           
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