I was just 12 years old when my mother inducted me into prostitution. Our family situation was really bad. My father had abandoned us when I was just 7 years old. My mother was looking after me and my two siblings all alone. One day in a stove accident she was badly burnt and our miseries increased. When I reached puberty my mother told me this was our only option to survive. I did not oppose as I knew our family condition.

After one year in prostitution, when I was rescued by Prajwala after a client leaked the information, I was confused and angry and felt I had failed my family. It was only after long counselling sessions by counsellors in the home that I realised what my mother did to me was wrong. I was worried about my siblings and I requested Prajwala to rescue them too. Prajwala was able to rescue my sisters before they were forced into prostitution. It took me months to come in terms with my life situation and start healing. With the support of the counsellors and teachers I resumed my education and was able to successfully complete my school and college.

Today I am doing my internship to qualify as a Chartered Accountant and I hope to soon support my younger siblings who are still under Prajwala’s care. My siblings and I owe our lives to Team Prajwala who rescued us and gave us a future.

My own mother has been punished by the law and I have no idea about her whereabouts. For me Sunitha Mam is the only mother I know.

I am a government doctor. My friends and colleagues think I am an orphan and was brought up in a orphanage. The truth is I was never able to confide to anyone that I was sold by my own parents when I was 6 years old. When Sunitha Mam rescued me and my sister from a brothel in Delhi we were too young to understand what was happening around us.

She shielded us from all the evil people around us including our parents and ensured that we got the best of education. I was lucky to get convent education and follow my dreams to complete my medical school. My young sister completed mass communication and has started her own start-up. I vaguely remember going for the funeral of my parents with Sunitha Mam when I was in school. I don’t know why they did, what they did and I bear no grudge for God has blessed me with me another mother Sunitha Mam who has not only saved me but also thousands of others. She & Prajwala work day and night so that we live to see each day. Never got a chance to say this in public…thank you Sunitha Mam…thank you Prajwala.

Maybe I would have died due to AIDS or perhaps become a sex trafficker myself if I was not saved by Prajwala in a brothel. I was cheated in the name of job and forced into prostitution. My traffickers not only changed my name they also changed my religion. I thought I had no hope when I was rescued. Even after I was admitted to the Shelter Home I continued to be suspicious about everybody around me and kept questioning their motives to rescue me.

I became nasty and aggressive. The counsellors in the home never got irritated with me and with patience continued to interact with me. As I started attending the group therapy sessions I realised for the first time what a mess I had escaped. Slowly with the support of life skill trainers, counsellors and therapist I opened myself to start life afresh. When I exited the safe home I chose to fight for the same cause and save other girls like me. Today I head the Victim Assistance Program of Prajwala and extend support to hundreds of victims who are rescued from brothels. My daily prayer is wishing for a day when we will provide assistance to the last victim.