Khushboo, like her mother before her, was forced into marriage when she was just a girl. Khushboo’s father died when she was very young, leaving her family with little means. It wasn’t long before her mother and the community pressured her to marry to help her family. “I was very young, I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t understand,” she explains.
Shortly after marrying, Khushboo dropped out of school and, with no access to family planning, became pregnant. Complications arose during childbirth and even though tried to save both mother and child, her son died and she fell into a deep depression.
Despite her ordeal, Khushboo now works as a peer educator. With her colleagues, she arranges meetings and informs villagers of the ill effects of early marriages. She has even prevented several child marriages from happening.
Watching her sister lose her baby deeply changed Priyanka too: “My sister’s experience taught me that I shouldn’t even think of marrying until I’ve finished my studies and am able to stand on my own two feet. And I hope that not only me, but that all the girls wait to be independent before they start thinking about marriage”.
LET'S CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM OTHER LIFE OPTIONS
Source: girlsnotbrides.com
