Sunita (name changed) faced economic hardships and family circumstances, limiting her education to class 3. Working as a farmer, she supported her mother while her brother and sister had their own homes. Her father, a habitual drinker, subjected her mother to violence and eventually committed suicide.
Sunita met Prakash (name changed), a mason, at a fair and they became a couple, but she discovered his abusive nature. Enduring domestic violence during her pregnancy, she sought refuge in her childhood home and gave birth to their child. Despite ongoing abuse, she divorced Prakash and returned to her parent’s home with her son.
Struggling to provide for her child’s education, Sunita worked as a laborer. Through Facebook, she connected with Shankar (name changed), who promised her a job in Kathmandu. However, she ended up being forced into prostitution in an unfamiliar house in Delhi after traveling there. The COVID-19 lockdown worsened her situation, but she managed to stay in touch with her son through video calls. Eventually, Sunita and her son were rescued from the brothel with the help of Maiti Nepal’s rescue foundation team. She resided at Maiti Nepal’s Women Rehabilitation Centre, where her son was taken care of. Sunita has now reintegrated with her family in the hopes of starting her store with the skills she received at Maiti Nepal.