Priya was married at age 18 to a man that was 20 years her senior.  Her family had saved up during her growing years to be able to provide a dowry that would be enough for a suitable husband, but still had to take out a loan to pay for the lavish gifts that Priya’s…

Padma is 21 years old.  She was married in the 8th standard.  Her father refused to send her to live with her marital family until she finished the school year, but her in-laws were persistent.  She was eventually pulled from school and sent to live in her marital home.  At first, she was adjusting and…

In the community where Vidya was raised, girls were typically not educated.  Many families didn’t even want to bring a girl into the world, because she is seen as a liability. A girl was usually married off and sent to live with her in-laws, never returning to support or care for her family.  Vidya’s parents were…

Sunita is the oldest of four siblings.  When she was young, she and her family lived in town.  She attended school daily and was very content.  However, things changed when her father lost his job.  He tried to find more work, but was unsuccessful, and her mother had a disability, which meant she could not…

Sushila’s family economic status has never been ideal.  Her father struggled to provide for her, her mother, and her older brother, Prashant.  When Sushila’s mother found work in a nearby factory, Sushila was expected to fetch water, cook, and keep the house clean.  She would wake up every day at 5am to start her chores. …

Neeta’s mother died in childbirth. In such cases, it is common in the community to consider such a child cursed. However, instead of shunning her, or seeing her as cursed, Neeta’s father thought of his daughter as a blessing.  She was his only child, and he loved her.  Many neighbors asked him why he would…