My Story

Dikshitha’s father only wanted sons in his family because he falsely believed that having daughters would be a financial burden on his family. When Dikshitha’s mother gave birth to her first child, she and her husband celebrated that they had been blessed with a son. Dikshitha’s father, beaming with pride, had a huge celebration for his son and provided him with many different gifts.

Soon after her brother was born, Dikshitha was born. Her mother was overjoyed to have a daughter, but her father was deeply disappointed by Dikshitha’s birth. He began to severely discriminate against Dikshitha because she is a girl. Although her mother enrolled her in school, Dikshitha’s father tried to pull her out of school to teach her to work around the house so she could earn money for the family while her brother goes to school. Her father also decided that Dikshitha needed to be married off young so that she wouldn’t be a burden on their family any longer.

Being a teenage bride herself, Dikshitha’s mother was desperate to find a way to make sure her daughter’s fate wasn’t the same as her own. Dikshitha’s mother contacted our social workers and told them about her situation. After learning about Dikshitha and her mother, our partners were able to intervene on Dikshitha’s behalf. Your sponsorship ensures Dikshitha is enrolled in school and receives a good education rather than becoming a child bride. It also allows her to receive ongoing support and counseling from our social workers who will teach her that she is loved and valued as a girl.