Nisha

Nisha was a young girl when she visited her sister who had left home and moved to the city for work. One evening, she went out with her sister’s friends who secretly drugged her and sold her to a brothel in India. Nisha endured physical and sexual abuse every day for three years. Finally, a customer took pity on her and helped her escape to the border where she was rescued and brought to our Safe Home.

 Nisha experienced crippling trauma, but with the constant presence and encouragement of the Safe Home counselors, she was able to begin healing. Slowly she found hope and decided on her purpose in life -she wanted to become part of the movement to help protect other vulnerable girls like herself. After her time at the Safe Home, Nisha moved on to the Training Center where she graduated and became a Border Counselor using her own story to counsel and rescue hundreds of other at-risk girls. Still, she wanted to do even more to protect girls like her that were vulnerable to human trafficking so she accepted a position with our partners as the Assistant Education Coordinator.

Nisha now travels to schools around the nation, proactively educating children about the dangers of human trafficking and encourages girls to stay in school. She uses her own story to raise awareness and advocate for legal intervention and systemic change. Nisha has visited over 50 schools nationwide, presenting to more than 1,500 students. Nisha also uses social media to engage and educate her followers about issues like human trafficking and gender inequality in Nepal. She was recently interviewed by a news network during Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness Day to share her views on policy change that is needed to become more victim centric.

Through the teaching of a storytelling course in our Social Leadership Development Training program, Nisha has multiplied her impact. As a result of this course, many daughters have come forward to share their own stories in communities throughout Nepal…no longer living in shame, but empowering each other, raising their voices against human-trafficking, and forming women’s groups to stand against injustice.