TRAFFICKING

Sixteen-year-old Rima Deka’s (name changed) life has not been so kind to her. She was barely two when her father passed away. Raised by her mother single-handedly, both mom and daughter lived with her grandmother who would often torture and blame them for her father’s death.

After years of torture, one day Rima was separated from her mother who was sold off to an agent in Delhi to work in a brothel. Meanwhile, Rima’s torture continued in the hands of her grandmother. She was starved for weeks and was physically weak. She was not even enrolled in school and was forced to do all the household chores and work in a tea garden.

But, the bond she shared with her mother could not keep Rima away from her mother for long. Her mother eventually returned home after two years with the help of a known person she met in Delhi.

During an awareness programme of ACRD, Rima’s mother came to know about our rehabilitation home Navajeevan. Rima was brought to the home and counselled. She is now enrolled in a government school nearby and attends school regularly. She is also being given vocational training on tailoring, cutting, flower making in the home. She loves her new life and both mother and daughter are happy. Rima’s mother visits her sometimes during holidays. “I am happy my daughter has found hope in life. She is safe in Navajeevan and I no longer have to worry about her future,” says Rima’s mother with a smile.