This is the testimony of Indira

Hi, I’m Indira. Well, this is not my real name, I have changed it to preserve my identity, because I want to be completely honest with my story. I am from Bidur Ward No. 11 Township in Gerkhu, Nepal. We are an extended family: grandparents, my parents and my father’s two brothers, two sisters and my brother.

My father was the eldest son in the family and my mother took the place of no less than the eldest daughter-in-law. But my grandmother never liked it. She used to abuse her and criticize everything done by her.

My father was a driver by profession and my mother worked in the fields and was a homemaker. No matter how much my mother did for the family, it was never enough for my grandmother. And as if this wasn’t enough, she always criticiszed my father.

My father tried to protect my mother and never listened to her mother, but finally, my grandmother won the game.

My father separated us from his family and little by little he ignored us. To help out, my brother stopped studying in 6th grade. I continued studying even though I couldn’t go to school every day.

In the end we found out that my father had remarried another woman. We found out about this when I had exams and the truth is, for me it was a great emotional show. I didn’t understand anything and I had a hard time concentrating, my grades weren’t especially good.

Finding a safeguard

At that moment I decided that maybe if I went to Kathmandu I would have a better chance to find a good job and help at home, since the economic situation was very precarious. But deluded me, it was even more difficult in the big city. Everything was precarious and unstable, I could hardly even pay the rent. It was my mother who had heard about the project promoted by Mumbai Smiles on occupational training in sewing and I did not hesitate to contact them. This training has changed my life, the precariousness of my situation was leading me to think that I would end up in the hands of human trafficking networks.

Currently, I can proudly say that I am working in the garment industry in Kathmandu with good working conditions, so I can have a stable life and help my family. I am impressed by the work of the organization, there are many who can escape exploitation thanks to these trainings. A true lifesaver for many women.