This is a story of a refugee family who had moved to Rochester 7 years ago. Nanda, has no relatives in USA, does not speak English well, and was working in minimal wage job to support her 3 children (ages 17, 12, 2) and her husband. She had been humiliated, insulted, physically beaten many times and living in a house of violence. Lately her husband had also started showing signs of immoral behavior towards the eldest child.
Nanda wanted to help get out of her situation and home but did not what to do. A family friend told her about Saathi.
On a cold snowy Sunday afternoon, her husband flashed a kitchen knife at Nanda and threatened to kill her. Nanda grabbed her children and left the house and called Saathi for help.
The Saathi team went into action. Within 2 days Nanda and her children with all their belongings were moved into a safe apartment. The elder children returned to school the same week. We started to work with Social Services, Children Daycare to obtain benefits for the family. Within 2 weeks, Nanda was able to return to work, her youngest child enrolled in daycare with full financial benefits. Over the following 8 months, with legal support provided by Saathi, Nanda obtained divorce from her husband and full custody of her 3 children.
The children are happy living away from an oppressive home environment, the eldest child looking forward to starting college this fall, and Nanda living a life of dignity that issafe and free from violence and right of every woman.