Anika’s* mother passed away while giving birth to her. Her father remarried years later and had 5 more children with his new wife.
Anika was rescued from a hotel lodge in western India, where her father had sold her. The hotel owner sexually abused Anika for days. She tried escaping and managed to steal the cell phone of the hotel owner, but was caught. He threatened her so she wouldn’t ever talk about what happened to her.
One day, some police officers stopped by the hotel and asked Anika why she was there, as she looked very young. She explained that she worked there making chapati (flatbread) and washing dishes. Convinced that she was a minor, the officers rescued her and took her to a children’s home.
An investigation revealed that Anika’s own father had sold her, a fact of which she was unaware and still struggles with today. During her four-year stay at the children’s home, Anika received no formal education or training in how to become an adult, so she has a lot of catching up to do.
At the beginning of 2023, Anika was able to move into a restoration home, where she learned to write numbers and the Hindi alphabet. She developed an interest in gardening and enjoys taking care of the plants around the restoration home.
Currently, she is undergoing tailoring training and will soon decide if this could be a career for her. Through counseling, Anika has made incredible strides and continues to persevere on her journey of restoration.
