Daksha Parmar arrived at the age of 13

Daksha, age 20, is studying for her Bachelor of Commerce degree

My three siblings and I are orphans. When our parents died we were all separated, went to live with different relatives, and did not get to see each other.

My elder sister went to live with our uncle, who made her work as a farmhand and keep his house for him. She was not allowed to study. She is now 24, married, and struggles daily for survival.

The rest of us were much luckier. In 2005, my brother went to stay at BEHT’s hostel for boys in Chaparda. A year later when I was 13, Mukti Trust opened the girls’ home nearby. My sister Bharti and I were brought here by our respective guardians, and the three of us were together again.

At first, as we were not used to the structure and boundaries, we cried a lot and often talked about how we missed our parents. But it didn’t take us long to settle in. The house mothers were very caring, and we made wonderful friends. They became our family.

Getting a school education meant I could go to college; I am now in the third year of my Bachelor of Commerce degree. I would like to continue with my studies and eventually become a lawyer.

I feel very blessed that I have been given this opportunity. My aim in future is to give something back to the community, and give someone else a chance to better their life.