"This left me with no option but to marry against my own will," she said, recounting the story of how her family's poor financial condition compelled her to make an unpleasant choice.She was forced to become a Kamlari at the tender age of 12 and was freed from bondage in 2004. Once freed, she wanted to complete her education. She thought she would finance her education through the little savings from her labor so that she would have a bright future to look forward to. But she had to give in to her parents' pressure.
Tulsa is one among the hundreds of Kamlari girls who share the same fate.
Kamala Chowdhary from Tripura, Bijouri couldn't make it through her SLC examinations for the second time. This was not surprising given the hard labor she was subjected to. Her failure left her patents with no choice but to send her to work as a Kamlari. She was freed in 2007 after nine years of servitude.
Various organizations professedly working for the welfare of Kamlaris have freed the girls but have not been able to ensure them a better future. Since the last two years, no aid money has been coming for the Kamlaris.
"The organizations were providing financial assistance for the education of Kamlaris until a few years ago, but not anymore," said Urmila Chowdhari, president of Free Kamlari Development Forum.
According to her, organizations like FNC, Swan Nepal, Help Society, among others, are no longer working for the welfare of Kamlaries.
"The organizations think that it is the government's responsibility to provide scholarship to the Kamlaris. This has made matters worse for the poor girls," she said. She also said that a lot of former Kamlaris are quitting their studies.
Along with the abolition of Kamlari system, the government had announced scholarship to former Kamlaris. Since, NRs 1500, Rs1700, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 annually is being allotted to former Kamlaris enrolling in primary, secondary, higher-secondary and undergraduate level respectively.
Around 5,000 Kamlari girls have been liberated already since 1999.
Related story
Freed Kamlaris faced with hard choices
