Story Runa

A new path through a swampy slum brings us to a former garbage dump. In a small community, we meet 16-year-old Runa. Together with her parents, her two younger sisters and their spouses, she lives in a room of 4×4 meters. The room has a single wardrobe and some blankets which function as a bed.

Her mother informed us that she was afraid that her beautiful daughters would be raped and that she therefore felt obliged to marry them off on their 12th. One daughter is now 15 years old and has a daughter of 1.5 years. The second daughter was mistreated by her mother in law and filed for divorce. Runa is spastic, her muscles live their own life and therefore she faces difficulties in walking, working and talking. If she cannot go to school, she sits at home and watches TV. Runa’s mother sees a bleak future for her daughter. Runa is regularly harassed by neighbors (men), jeered at by children and mocked by her in-laws. She is not welcome at the family of her in-laws and her sister blames her for her broken marriage. Runa wants to learn, with great pleasure she follows the ‘My way to Work’ training. She has completed reproductive health and sex education classes and now works as an assistant teacher within the school. Runa would like to follow the course ‘money management’ in the coming year.

“These lessons will help me to further develop myself and who knows, I might even find a job one day. My parents are enthusiastic about my education and my sheltered training place.

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