Anuradha Koirala is an inspiring Nepalese social activist who has dedicated her life to rescuing Nepalese girls from human trafficking. Born in 1953, she was once a school teacher—but now she is the founder of Maiti Nepal, an organization that provides shelter, education, healthcare, and legal aid to victims of human trafficking. Koirala has single-handedly saved over 12,000 women and children from exploitation and abuse. Let’s take a look at her incredible life story.
Koirala’s Early Years
Koirala was born on October 15th 1953 in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. She comes from a family of 13 brothers and sisters and is the youngest daughter of the family. As a child she was always interested in helping others; when she was just 8 years old she used to visit sick children in hospitals with her mother to give them small presents so they felt better. At age 17, Koirala moved to the United States for college where she earned degrees in English literature and psychology before returning home to Nepal after graduation.
Founding Maiti Nepal
In 1993 Koirala returned home to find her country facing an epidemic of human trafficking – thousands of young girls were being sold into prostitution or slavery every year by traffickers preying on their poverty-stricken families. Horrified by what was happening around her, Koirala decided that something had to be done; it was then that she founded Maiti Nepal (Mothers’ Home) – an organization dedicated to rescuing young girls from traffickers and providing them with shelter, medical care, education and legal aid. Since its founding Maiti Nepal has rescued over 12,000 women and children from exploitation and abuse; it also operates several schools for underprivileged children as well as programs for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
The Power Of One
Anuradha Koirala is living proof that one person can make a difference – even if it means taking on an issue as big as human trafficking. Through her tireless work with Maiti Nepal she has raised awareness about this heinous crime worldwide and given thousands of young women hope for a better future. In 2009 she was awarded the CNN Hero Award for her selfless dedication to helping others; today she continues her work with Maiti Nepal while inspiring people everywhere with her story of compassion and courage in the face of adversity.
Conclusion:
Anuradha Koirala’s story is truly inspiring – especially when we consider all that she has accomplished despite facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Through her work with Maiti Nepal she has not only saved thousands of women from exploitation but also given them hope for a brighter future through education and opportunity. We can all learn something important from Anuradha’s example: that no matter how daunting our challenges may seem we should never stop fighting for what we believe in – because you never know how much good you can do until you try!
