(Ayesha [centre], coordinator of CEDAR’s Nepalese partner, Asha Nepal)
(Updated on 9 October 2020)
Our Nepalese partner recently told us that they rescued two girls from a red light area of India. The situation of the girls was very vulnerable so our partner carried out rescue even under the threat of COVID-19 and closing of borders.
These two girls, who were physically and mentally weak, had undergone different circumstances. One of the girls named Nagina (pseudonym, 11 years old) had been sold by her own mother to a relative as a servant, due to poverty. The other girl named Lola (pseudonym, 16 years old) had been harassed sexually by her own father, after the death of her mother last year. She was going to be taken to work in brothel right before our partner’s intervention.
Soon after our partner found out what these girls have gone through, they did everything to rescue them. Even though India had seen record daily rise in the number of COVID-19 infections and Nepal–India border was also closed, they communicated with the local government and the border police. And finally they brought the girls to the shelter home. We feel at ease that our partner staff and the girls were tested negative for COVID-19. This rescue has been very challenging, because both the relative whom Nagina had been sold to and the father of Lola were dangerous or criminal men. But with the grace of God, our partner managed to bring them to Nepal at their shelter. We thank God for every step He helped in the rescue.
Our partner said, “It’s such a relief to have the two girls (out of their dangerous environments).”
Please pray for the survivors and our partner’s ministry of protecting human trafficking victims and sexually exploited women and children. You can read more our partner’s story in battling against human trafficking: eng.cedarfund.org/aht/.
(This article was edited from the writings of our partner Asha Nepal.)