Their Journey BHAVANI (17), SATYA (16), AND MUTHYALU (15)
Hope Restored On my recent trip to India, I had the chance to visit Bhavani, Satya, and Muthyalu, who were among the 380 pregnant teens our team rescued last June. Today, they are among the 120 girls who have since given birth and are living in temporary safe housing while we complete the Trauma Care Home for girls. This is part of their story. Bhavani, Satya, and Muthyalu, come from extremely poor tribal families from the “untouchable” caste, where survival depends on seasonal agricultural labor. Their families lived day to day, often taking predatory loans for medical emergencies or basic needs. As debts grew and pressure from lenders intensified, an agent approached their families with what seemed like a solution: a short-term job for their daughters. He promised they would return in a few weeks with skills, income, and their debts cleared. With no better options and desperate, their parents agreed. Instead, the girls were trafficked and sold into slavery at rock quarries. Bhavani endured three years enslaved, Satya four, and Muthyalu five. During that time, they were repeatedly assaulted. When our teams rescued them last June, each of them was between three and five months pregnant. They were also severely malnourished, weak, and had received no medical care. After their rescue, they were given immediate medical attention, proper nutrition, vitamins, and counseling. Slowly, their health improved, and each of them delivered a healthy baby; their children are now between 3 and 4 months old. Initially, the girls struggled to accept their babies. It took time, patience, and consistent support before they felt ready to hold and care for them. When their families were eventually located, they refused to take their girls back because they feared social stigma, community judgment, and that their daughters were now “spoiled.” They worried the girls would never be able to marry and that their return with children would bring shame on the entire family.
Keep reading! The story continues on the back