The Internet is full of women empowerment tales of how women are shining in all walks of life. But on very few moments we come across stories that truly motivate us and make us feel good. It is the story of the struggle of a child marriage victim who became a single parent at 16.
Struggle of a Child Marriage Victim
Her husband left her but she refused to give up. Her mother pushed her to marry a 26-year-old man when she was just 16 and within four months she got pregnant. And then her life shifted from bad to worse.
Her in-laws don’t let her study and used her like a servant. Once, when she was 8 months pregnant, there was a theft at home. And her in-laws accused her of that. They starved and beat her till she had to plead to stop.
Soon she got so feeble that she had to return to her mother’s house. Her husband came along, to take care of her and his child.
Her husband didn’t stay with her for long
Soon she gave birth. Her husband was working as a driver but his salary wasn’t enough. So, she started a job as well. The only job she got was as a teacher’s assistant, with a pay of Rs. 2k per month. One day, suddenly, her husband said he wasn’t happy with her working. But she needed to continue to earn for her child. So, her husband moved back with his parents and remarried.
It was then she decided to focus on her studies and equip herself with the much-needed qualification to build a career.
“I was abandoned with a 2-year-old child at the age of 18. I required to earn more and I couldn’t do it without any qualifications. I continued to work to support the house. And when I completed 12th grade, I got a job at a media company,” she said.
But her lack of qualification stood as the biggest obstacle in her professional life. This is when she got the much-needed help and that became her life-changer. One of those days, her boss asked her if she was okay. She couldn’t restrain herself and told her everything. Her boss told her not to worry and gave her Rs. 15k and said, ‘This is yours, go for it and don’t ever look back’. She finished her bachelor’s and got a fabulous job as a project manager afterward.
Today, she is 23 and is solely raising her child and running a home
She is paying for her son’s education and saving up for his future. My son and I love each other and we both know that we are sufficient for each other.
She is an inspiration for all, especially, girls who get married at a very young age and confronts the harsh realities of life. We hope we have more women like her.
