Saanvi’s* mother is a prostitute in Kamathipura, India. Her grandmother was a Devdasi and was “dedicated” to a life of sexual servitude in the temple of the god, Yallamma. Because Saanvi’s mother was poor, she arranged a marriage for Saanvi at a very young age. Her first husband left her and she was married again. At only seventeen years of age, she was left by her second husband.
As a result of Saanvi’s desperate financial situation, we realized that she was in great risk of being exploited by the sex industry. We quickly arranged a meeting with her mother and grandmother to ask if they would consider enrolling her in a government program to continue her education. At that time, their hearts were closed.
Our team prayed and shared the salvation message with her family. Miraculously, Saanvi’s mother agreed that she could no longer care for her. She wanted Saanvi to become the first woman in her family to complete her education and break out of the cycle of poverty and abuse. We helped Saanvi meet with the president of the Child Welfare Commission, who found her a safe home. Today, Saanvi has a bright future and is excelling in school.
