Story 6: “Smiling of young woman after getting citizenship certificate”
Kumari chhetri (Name changed ) , (19/F) studies in class 10. She married Kamal Thapa of Sagarmatha Tole, Ward No. 2, Birendranagar Municipality. Her father had remarried, leaving her and her mother behind because her mother could not give birth to a son. Although the first 6 months after her marriage were good, the days after that became painful. Her husband started beating her because she did not have children, and her husband’s family members also started abusing her. She was forced to live a hard life by selling firewood to support herself. During this time, she gave birth to a son. However, the problems did not go away and her husband did not support her. She was forced to earn a living at an age when she was supposed to study and plan her future. She also didn’t have her citizenship which has prevented her from receiving basic services she is entitled to from the government.
In 2021, the Preventing and Responding Early Child Marriage project was launched in her village by Aawaaj with the support of GFF. She became a member of the group as other women in the community nominated her as a member of the survivor women’s group. After becoming a member of the group, she shared that she was treated well by her family and her husband. She and her husband were called and counseled at various stages by Aawaaj. In addition, project staff and group visited her home regularly for follow ups. As a result, her condition improved. The group recommended her for income support for goat raising from the project. The project provided NRs. 20,000.00 support through her husband’s sister (as she did not have official papers required for legal transactions) for the goat raising as an IGA. After receiving the support, her mother-in-law has started treating her well. Her husband facilitated to get her citizenship and birth registration of her children after he got pressure from the women group. She now has a Citizenship. She and her husband are now preparing to register the marriage and birth registration of their newborn child.