A Mother's Memory Provides Purpose

Ambika lost both her parents at a very young age and found herself under the care of her aunt and uncle, who often neglected her. She spent most of her time roaming the streets of her village . When she was twelve, Ambika was seduced by the love and affection of a shop owner. He showered her with gifts like clothes and candy. Ambika saw this as an opportunity to find love that she had lost for all those years, but the shop owner saw it as an opportunity to make a quick profit by exploiting her. The man preyed on her vulnerabilities and sold her into a hotel within Nepal for sexual slavery.

After exploiting her for almost a year, the hotel owner decided to take her to India. While attempting to cross at the Sunauli border, members of the border surveillance team rescued her. They could not believe how young she looked. They recall crying while hearing stories of her abuse over the years. Ambika was now free to join us at the Safe Home and was able to fight for justice and get her traffickers arrested and imprisoned. After her stay at the Safe Home, she joined us at the Training Center where she pursued her training in cooking.

"One of my fondest memories of my mother was being in the kitchen watching her cook. Cooking reminds me of her, and when I cook it feels like she is still a part of me."

Ambika did exceptionally well in her training, and upon graduation, she joined the team at Mo Mo Land, a daughter-run restaurant in Chitwan. Ambika is now living a life of freedom as she has found her purpose through the memory of her mother.

“In the past, I would get angry and wonder why I was even born? What is the purpose of my life? But now, I have a skill and the freedom to pursue my dreams. I have hope for the future and know I can take care of myself.”