Over 600 early married girls are trying to build a life of their own in the villages of Bagalkot district. They attribute the change in their mindset and the new-found courage to Shailaja G K, their 26-year-old mentor.
For Sumalatha (name changed), who was married when she was in Class 9 and physically abused by her then-husband, life changed when Shailaja entered the scene: “When my parents weren’t willing to hear me out, Shailakka lent me a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. She even helped me continue my studies,” says the student of B Com.
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