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The girls at Friendship House: | ||
| Here is the story of 3 of the girls whose lives have been changed by the Friendship House, Ganga, Jamuna and Peema. The case story of Ganga and Jamuna is unfortunately similar to many of the Friendship House girl's backgrounds. | ||
Their father died of liver cancer two years back after suffering from it for many years. Their mother's health condition is deteriorating day by day and now suffers from breast cancer. Their eleven-year-old brother lives with their mother, but their fourteen-year-old brother left home for India to search for work almost six months back. His whereabouts in India are unknown. The girls Ganga and Jamuna were sent to Parsa District. They were sent with a condition that they would work as household helpers and attend school side by side. But this did not come true. The two little girls did not attend school but worked as servants! The eight-year-old twin sisters became domestic helpers working in two different households in Parsa District. The day started early in the morning for these little girls - not to go to school but to clean the house, wash clothes, do the dishes etc. The girls were sent away because the family is very poor and in financial distress. When asked to tell what they knew about the girl's original family, one of the neighbors says, “They are so poor that they go with one meal a day.” In the video clip received by our project manager Som Paneru in Kathmandu, the little girls had no smile on their faces during the interview. “Ganga and Jamuna fit into our criteria regarding their age and social conditions. Although the mother is still alive, it is obvious she cannot take care of them”. These girls were admitted to the Friendship House in February and have been fully sponsored by a couple from Maryland. They have started school and are adjusting well to their new home and many sisters. Today there is no limit to the smiles.
At age 11 Peema was given a plane ticket back to Nepal and put on a plane. She landed in Kathmandu penniless, homeless and unschooled. Finding herself at the Friendship Home, Peema prognosis was that maybe she could learn to become a cook's assistant, but the house parents doubted her ability to advance further. Tutored to a first grade level, Peema started school at age 12. From that point on Peema's insatiable drive to learn was nothing more than incredible. “It was an honor to be with Peema on her graduation day, she is one of the most literate, intelligent and charming young ladies you would ever want to meet” commented Garry Schalla, dZi Foundation, Associate Director. Peema continues today to look for challenges taking her degree as a social worker to the Nepali prison system, counseling women and children behind thick prison walls.
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Peema Tamang was sold at a young age and trafficked to the United States where she worked as an indentured servant. A wealthy Indian family kept her sequestered and she would work from the early hours of the morning until late into the evening. She was not paid or schooled, and was given limited nourishment despite her grueling schedule.