Impact Stories

The pressure to have sons is terrifying – mothers who bear daughters are cast aside by husbands and in-laws desperate to escape the financial burden of a girl’s dowry. In a country where boys remain prized and having a daughter is considered by many to be a curse.

I Bimla resident of Delhi – RK Puram, Asha Dan Leprosy Colony. My second daughter’s birth was the happiest day of my life, yet I could sense grief in my family’s expressions. A year later, I delivered a baby girl again, unfortunately, the baby girl was deaf and dumb, that’s when I was determined, whatever it takes, I’m going to raise her with all my grit and courage and give her the best life I can. I will make her independent and not let anyone see her as a burden and I choose not to place “DIS”, in her ability.”

I contracted leprosy at a very young age through my mother, one of the world’s most stigmatized diseases, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease. Life took a cruel turn & I was shunned by my family and forced to live almost in isolation from relatives and from the community. we had to migrate from our village because of discrimination and we decided to move out to Delhi in a hope of better-dignified life. I took MDT and was treated, and I am cured now; My studies lasted until the tenth grade; I wanted to continue, but because I had leprosy, my parents also wanted me to marry as I was looked upon as a burden on the shoulders of unlucky parents who can rid themselves of me only through marriage, so I didn’t push them too hard. I married at the age of eighteen. But I wanted to raise my daughters to be self-sufficient, so I’ll teach them as much as they want and only marry them when they’re ready. NLRIF assisted and supported my children’s education and I am also an active member of SHG facilitated by NLRIF. I have three daughters, one of them is deaf and dumb, and I received assistive devices from NLRIF. My daughters are studying, and I am a proud mother. I want public perceptions of our daughters to improve, and I am joyfully taking steps in that direction.

Bimla Ji can be seen interacting with people in her community and spreading awareness about Leprosy and its issues in all of the pictures below. She also encourages women in the neighborhood to become self-sufficient by joining SHGs, where they can acquire a new skill while also earning a living.