Kamala was 13 when she was sold to traffickers from an Indian Circus by her parents. Her family live in South Nepal, about 10 km from the Indian Border, in a small town called Hetauda which is regularly targeted by traffickers. Young girls and children are easy prey due to the extreme poverty; many families struggle to feed and clothe their children, let alone educate them, so, when someone promises a new life for a child and an income for the family, many people are duped into letting their children go. The price they get for their child is about £14. 3 Years later she was rescued by The Esther Benjamins Trust and returned to Nepal.
Kamala was one of the lucky ones, she was able to return to her family and be reunited with her community – or so everyone thought. Later that year Kamala’s parents found a husband for her and she was duly married, she then became pregnant and had a baby boy. Unfortunately her husband was an alcoholic and abusive and after repeatedly beating her, he threw her out of the house and took her baby. Kamala was once again an outcast from her family and community. In Nepali society, her circumstances were seen as her own fault – she had not looked after her husband’s needs well enough and had therefore caused her own situation and brought sham upon her family for being a bad wife. In desperation Kamala returned to the Esther Benjamins Trust for help, they took her in and helped her get back on her feet.
Kamala joined the training programme and then the production team making suede and leather handbags. She now lives in Kathmandu, but is earning a good living and is able to return home regularly and see her son and family. With her new skills and job and the wages she now earns she has once again been able to gain respect with her family and now helps them with food and clothing.
These words are taken from a letter recently sent from Kamala and the girls in the production team:-
“We are improve our sewing quality day by day and now we are confident. We are very very happy and we are giving many many thanks for you. May god bless our sister, without your help we are orphan. If time favours you, we will produce lots of products and our future will be bright”
Hatti Trading Story.
Hatti Trading was conceived in 2004 by Emma Triplett after working on a voluntary basis with The Esther Benjamins Trust. Emma helped set up the Kathmandu Training Centre for older girls with the plan that they could provide skills training and help the girls into jobs. However, it soon became clear that people would not employ these girls because of the stigma attached to their past. Girls who have been trafficked are seen as ‘tainted’ or ‘prostitutes’ and no one wants to know them, so the training centre hit a brick wall in the attempts to help the girls reintegrate into society. The frustration at this was infuriating and in determination to do something to help these girls, Emma set up a production centre and the Trust provided skills training in leather production. In June 2005 Emma arrived back in the UK with 2000 bags to sell, all made by these survivors of trafficking and Hatti Trading was borne.
18 months on Hatti Trading supports 8 girls in bag production, including Kamala, 3 girls doing hand embroidery. 3 girls have been able to go home and get married, completing their reintegration into society and 12 more girls are shortly to join the production team. In addition to the selling the handbags Hatti Trading also raises awareness about Human Trafficking, finds sponsors for the circus children’s education and raises money for the Hatti Fund which goes to help trafficked children. Hatti Trading sells beautiful handmade handbags by the website, wholesale, catalogue or by Party Plan. We are always looking for people to hold parties and for socially conscious individuals to join our team of Party Plan Agents. www.hattitrading.co.uk