With poverty comes hopelessness. With the inability to provide comes desperation. Orphaned at a young age, *Jyva’s relatives decided to dedicate her to a form of trafficking at the age of just 13. What is unthinkable to us, was a cruel reality for Jyva. She was used and abused by men night and day in her own village.  This innocent young teen was trapped in a life of depression, loneliness, horror and despair.

But then, she met *Lakshmi, one of our Community Village Leaders.

Lakshmi reached out to Jyva and coordinated access to counselling and healthcare. Jyva joined our vocational skills program and is receiving healing of body, mind and spirit. She is no longer a victim but is reclaiming her God-given identity and hope.

Jyva recently learned that her 13-year-old friend, *Nari, was being coerced to marry. While child marriage is illegal it is still common among impoverished and desperate families. Jyva was determined to protect her friend from the physical and emotional trauma of being a child bride.

Jyva informed Lakshmi, who sprang into action to stop the marriage.

Today, Nari is safe too. Under Lakshmi’s watchful and caring eye, she is living with her parents and receiving support and encouragement from school staff to continue her studies. Her childhood was not robbed and Nari is pursuing a future with dignity and freedom.

As we work to see this horrendous systemic abuse end, we see exploited women freed from a life of horror; and at-risk girls prevented from being trafficked into lifelong abuse. Thank you CityLife for your incredible support to DFN!

Posted in May 2022


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