Fifteen-year-old Geetha chose a tough path. She stood up for her rights and refused to be married as a child. Her bravery sparked change in her tribal community in India.
It’s now been more than three years since a forced marriage has taken place in Geetha’s village of Musallamadugu.
“Now in our village, all of the children go to school,” Geetha proudly declares. “Before, due to economic problems, few transportation options and an unsafe path through forested areas on a six-kilometre walk to school, that didn’t happen.”
To stop her parents from arranging her marriage, Geetha needed help. It was difficult to go up against long-standing tradition and her parents’ decision to have her marry young. But thanks to Children Believe, Geetha, and other girls like her, have been able to follow their heart, continue their education and pursue their dreams.
Musallamadugu is a remote forest-based tribal village in southern India. Geetha’s parents are illiterate and rely on daily labour work. They’d always followed tradition, which calls for a girl of 15 to leave school and get married.
In seeking a way out, Geetha joined a youth group run by Children Believe partner, Rural Organization for Poverty Eradication Services (ROPES). Among ROPES’ activities, they bring to light planned incidences of forced early marriage and work with agencies and police to prevent child marriage.
Geetha’s parents learned that their decision to marry her young was against the law. They received counselling and signed a promise written out on paper that they would not break the law.
Geetha’s family also received supplies and a sustainable garden for nutrition to help them overcome economic hardships. And, ROPES started a village development committee to educate local families in law and the harms caused to children through cultural practices such as forced marriage.
Realizing her dream to continue schooling, Geetha, now 19, enjoys giving back to her community by informing children about their rights. She wants to become a teacher and use her skills to help her village advance.
You can help empower young people to stand up for their rights and refuse to be married early. Learn how.