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My name is Kumari, and I am 23 years old. I come from a family with few resources. My father fought tirelessly to send me to school. In my final year, while walking home with my friends, a woman approached us. She offered a job abroad with a good monthly salary. At first, it seemed strange to us, but she convinced us it was worth it. She knew our areas of study; in my case, computer science. She showed us the places where we would live together to save money.
For a week, she visited us at school and filled us with enthusiasm about the idea of ​​leaving our country. My father knew nothing, because if I told him, he wouldn't let me go. My friends and I decided to leave without telling our parents. Desperation and need drove us to make that decision.
Finally, the day came. I packed my suitcase and, secretly, left home. We met in a dark place, my friends and I. A vehicle arrived and picked us up. However, the woman who spoke to us was not present. My heart began to doubt. Why isn't she here? A single man searched for us and took us to the border. As he drove, he gave us instructions: do not speak, do not make eye contact with the police, and if they stopped us and asked, lie and say we had no relatives waiting on the other side.
The policeman stopped us, and I was terrified. They took us out of the vehicle to inspect us, and the policeman asked us where we were going and if we had relatives waiting. I don't know what happened to me, but I answered that no one was waiting for me. Thus began my journey into uncertainty, beyond the shadows of a reality I never imagined facing.
Quickly, they took us to the police station and locked us up. They conducted an investigation, and to our surprise, we were going to be trafficked and sold for sexual exploitation. I began to cry inconsolably, thinking of my father and everything that could happen to me if I crossed the border. They arrested the man who took us, as they had been watching him because he traveled more than three times a week trafficking people. My need led me to make a decision that could have destroyed my life forever. I can only be thankful that we were stopped and all of us could be saved.
My story may help others who are in the same position as me. Do not let need to lead you to decisions that could destroy your life. When everything seems perfect, please, run away, because on the other side you may find your worst nightmare.
Current Statistics on Human Trafficking
In Nepal, between 10,000 and 15,000 people (mostly women and children) are illegally trafficked to India annually for sexual exploitation and forced labor. Human trafficking has increased by 500% from 2013 to 2019. In India, nearly 8 million people are trapped in human trafficking. This is approximately equivalent to the entire population of New York City. More than half of the victims are forced to work in bonded labor conditions, while others fall prey to sex trafficking. Girls as young as 12 years old are sold to sex traffickers. Human trafficking is a devastating reality in the country.
Eve's Project 1040: A Future of Hope
Currently, I work with Eve's Project 1040, an organization dedicated to combating human trafficking and providing support to victims. Every donation we receive helps rescue young people like me, provide them with shelter, education, and opportunities for a better future. Your support can make a difference.