By Soma Bhowmick | Founder and CEO
First Formal Intervention of Project MissingLink
(Safe Temporary Shelter for Young Women Escaping Domestic Violence and Trafficking)
It was just before the International Women’s Day in March, 2017 when Suprava Panchashila Mahila Uddyog Samiti or SPMUS got a call about the extreme distress that Shefali found her in. Shefali and her three children were in deep trouble. Shefali was married as a 13 year old and has three children. She is 27 now. Early 2017, she had to finally run away from her abusive in-law's house with her children, after putting up with years of physical abuse. All she wanted was a life of dignity. After coming back to her parental village, she started working as a domestic help to fulfill her family’s basic needs and support her children's education. She thought she would have a safe shelter among her own relatives. Alas! That was not the case. Her own cousins found it audacious that she tried to choose her own future. Hence, one fateful night they decided to burn down her humble shanty to scare her away. When SPMUS got in touch with Shefali, they had no place to stay and were putting up in the porch of a favorable neighbor. Her eldest child had severe burn injury.
Friends of SPMUS conducted an emergency fundraising drive through social media and support poured in for Shefali and her family and thus, emerged the Project ‘MissingLink’. Within three months’ time with the help of project MissingLink Shefali’s children recovered from their injury and they resumed school; Shefali got back to her job as domestic help; their hut is redone and more secure than before and the local police is taking care of her assailants. Now the young woman is emerging as a role model and being approached by local organizations and women in distress, for counseling support. What we did is nothing more than being a ‘Missing Link’ that she needed during the most trying time of her life. Our support was small when you look at the quantity, but had immense impact in her life. Like any mother, Shefali says, “I want my children to get educated for better future.”
Expenditure Statement from SPMUS Account
Total fund received from MissingLInk’s effort @52000/-($800) during March 2017 Drive and this is the expenditure so far:
Amount ($1=Rs.65)
Total Expenses= Rs.36350 ($559.23)
*Cash in hand - Rs.15650 ($240.76)
*Its currently being used for other cases
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