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 (17), SATYA (16), AND MUTHYALU (15)
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
“If he smiles… I feel maybe my life is not finished.”
“When our house mom speaks kindly, I feel hope & motivated to move forward.”
“I am scared… but I don’t want my baby to suffer like me.”
That rejection has left deep emotional wounds The girls are now working through layers of shame from being rejected by their own families and all they endured in the quarries At the same time, they are learning how to be mothers. Their journey is far from easy, but they are no longer walking it alone. Hope has entered their story.
Our staff has noticed a quiet shift and real change in their hearts, a growing softness, a willingness to engage, and the first small steps toward hope They are beginning to sit in during prayer times, sometimes even choosing to participate. Though they may not fully understand it yet, healing has begun, and they are starting to believe their lives are far from over.
For now, Bhavani, Satya, and Muthyalu are living in safe temporary housing at our small girls’ home while the girls’ trauma care home is being built. They are learning, day by day, how to care for their children- Bhavani with her son, Mark Prasanna; Satya with her son, Ashwin; and Muthyalu with her daughter, Siri. Their words which you’ll read above reflect both their deep pain and the first stages of hope
During my time with them, I found myself especially drawn to Bhavani (pictured below). When I asked what she enjoyed, she struggled to answ her life before Bhavani said, “I loved school and studyin because it reminds me of the life I lost Now all I want is school”
That response has stayed with me, especially coming f 17-year-old I’m grateful that she and the other girls wil have the opportunity to study again, if they choose, lea vocational skills, and access opportunities that can cha only their lives, but the lives of their children for generations to come.
I’m excited to see how their stories continue to unfold a they step into all that God has for them.
Amrutha RENGANATHAN DIRECTOR OF DONOR RELATIONS
