Khushi’s Way to Break the Deep-rooted Stigma

As we look at the history of the “Badi” community, it is a marginalized group in Nepal that has historically faced discrimination on both social and economic grounds and had to endure social stigma and prejudice, which restricted their access to education and basic necessities.

Human trafficking and sexual exploitation have plagued this community for generations. While the world has moved on with time, the Badi community has remained in a dark place.

It has been the norm to entertain men, and prostitution has been their primary source of income for a long time. In fact, part of their tradition is for girls to wear nose pins to symbolize virginity. It signifies that a girl is still a virgin if she’s wearing it. Otherwise, she’s no longer a virgin, so she’s available for sexual activity with men. A novel, Nathiya, written by a Nepali writer, explains everything about the Badi Community.

It’s becoming increasingly evident that times are changing, and people are becoming more aware, leading to a new generation being educated to break the deep-rooted stigma that has oppressed them for so long. One such example is Khushi Badi, who joined our My Business My Freedom (MBMF) program in Nepal.

Khushi Badi, a 23-year-old married woman with a daughter, relied on agriculture as her family’s primary source of income. However, she decided to become part of an MBMF women’s group in her village to start a revolutionary step towards independence and raise awareness in her community about human trafficking and crimes like sexual violence.

Khushi took out two loans through the MBMF Program and invested the money in an auto-rickshaw, even though driving an auto-rickshaw has been considered a man’s job by many. Now, Khushi earns a daily profit of Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 ($US 12 to $US 18), proving that women can succeed in any field if they work with competence and honesty.

Khushi believes that: “No caste or religion can stop me from achieving the life my people believe is not for us. I hope to educate my daughter and set an example for my community.” She hopes to educate her daughter and set an example for her community. “Khushi” translates to “happy,” and MBMF is delighted to be a part of her happiness.