“After I gave birth to my daughter, my husband started having an extra marital affair. I loved him very much, so I tried to bring him back to me but he began to treat me really badly — he wouldn’t even look at me. When I confronted him about this other woman he said, ‘it happens in every family– at least I’m giving you a place to stay, so you shouldn’t complain.’ He didn’t give me any money for
anything, so I began to do odd jobs in my village to make sure that my daughter and I could at least survive.
anything, so I began to do odd jobs in my village to make sure that my daughter and I could at least survive.
One evening she fell really sick and I begged him to give me some money to treat her, but he refused. I was so ashamed to ask my parents for money, but I had no other choice. That day however, I made a choice that I would never feel that helpless again. I left my daughter with my parents, left my husband and came to Bombay to find some work. I’ve been working as domestic help for a few years now, and I’ve been able to educate my daughter as well as pay for the expenses of
my parents. Every month, I save a little money so that I can build a better house for all of us in my village and little by little that dream is coming true as well.
My happiest moments are when I go back to my village and my family looks at me with pride in their eyes. My daughter wants to become a teacher and my parents want to visit Bombay…I can’t wait to make all this happen for them. As for my husband–I haven’t looked back since. I have a point to prove that just because he gives me a small space in his house doesn’t mean he can disrespect me– as a woman, I’m more than enough to support myself and my family and I don’t ‘need’ him for anything.”
