Misery and miracles

 

 

 In Bangladesh it's unnecessary to travel anywhere to see poor people since there is an abundance of needy persons just outside our house.

But while living in Dhaka I have become a frequent traveler in misery tours. 

Sounds depressing but often the saddest things offer the biggest miracles.

Last week I joined my husband to a field trip in Khulna, Bangladesh's third largest city in the southwestern part of the country. 

We visited a couple of Dalit villages and a Dalit girls' shelter in Khulna. 

Dalits are the lowest in the Hindu cast system, they look just like any other Bangladeshi people, they speak the same language but they are severely discriminated.

They are pushed out of schools, they have no chance of getting a job, they lack electricity, water and other infrastructure, they are not served at cafees, they are not even allowed their last rest at common graveyards. Most of the oppressive acts are  prohibited by law but still exercised. 

Many of the Dalits are illiterate and are not able to demand their civil rights. 

To make things worse, many Dalits practice child marriages due to poverty and ignorance.

Thanks to dedicated of NGOs' efforts the situation is improving.

An organization called Dhruba gives shelter for girls escaping child marriage and domestic violence. 

Many of the girls come from families  where they are the first ones with any education at all. With their background, they should have been shy and insecure but we met a bunch of hilarious, sharp and ambitious girls. They want to become doctors, lawyers and decision makers. 

"We cannot afford small dreams, we need to aim at the top", as one of the girls said.

"Please, pray for us", the shelter leader whispered in my ear. Miracles can happen.

ps. I don't publish pictures of the shelter girls. But they are gorgeous.