Ayesha - my story of hope in the face of adversity
Ayesha is a domestic violence survivor and a proud mother of a son. She was living with her husband at her in laws. Her husband didn’t work simply because he didn’t want to, leaving Ayesha to find employment in a sweater factory.
Her husband assaulted her on a daily basis even when she got pregnant. As her pregnancy advanced, she had to leave her job at the factory. This infuriated her husband even more as cash stopped flowing in which in turn meant more beatings for Ayesha.
“My man used to beat me with whatever he could find around him. One day he broke my hand and acted like nothing had happened. My mother in law said that I didn't need any medical attention as I was not bleeding. But it hurt! It hurt really badly! And this made no difference to my husband.” Ayesha told us while pointing to her left wrist.
This incident left her disabled and incapable of working outside again.
With increasing violence and no medical aid, her in laws contacted her parents to take her back. And so they did. Her parents brought her back home and took the responsibility of both Ayesha and her son. It seemed like the situation was becoming resolved for her.
Not long after, her parents fell in deep financial crisis as the river erosion took much of their land on which they were dependent.
Things finally started to turn around for her when she got in touch with one of our former beneficiaries. Ayesha was informed about Sreepur Village and how it helps vulnerable women like her. Ayesha then reached out to us here at Sreepur Village and in 2021 we welcomed her and her son with open arms.
Ayesha received proper medical care for her hand. She arrived as a disabled person who could not work but with the right medical attention her hand has improved a lot.
Ayesha attended bamboo decoration training and made our hanging bamboo ornaments. Ayesha now wishes to pursue a living out of it once she returns home to her parents. Her two year-old son is getting along with the other children and living a normal life - a life that Ayesha always wanted him to have.
“I did not know what to expect when I first got here. Everything and everyone was new. All I wanted was a better and safer place for me and my son. But as I spent more time here, I gained confidence and hope. I know that I still have the ability to work and earn. Once my training is finished here, I will return to my parents next year and support both them and my son by selling bamboo decorations. I will even train my brother to make such things out of bamboo.” Ayesha added with a smile.
Ayesha is getting regular counselling to let her recover from her past wounds and so that she continue to be as hopeful as she is now. The medical aid is helping her hand be flexible enough to earn a living. However, the degree of damage done to her hand due to not receiving the correct medical care immediately after it was broken, will leave her hand compromised at times.
The afraid and broken Ayesha, is now filled with hope and strength to pursue her dreams of becoming independent, running her own bamboo decoration business and living her life on her own terms.
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