Rajeshwari was a 10-year-old girl who loved everything about going to school. She loved learning so much that she dreamed of becoming a teacher when she grew up. But her parents fell into debt after her grandfather died and Rajeshwari’s dreams suddenly became a nightmare.
In need of 50,000 rupees ($600) for the funeral, Rajeshwari's father desperately turned to a local lender who gave him the money in exchange for labor in his brick kiln. What her father didn't understand at the time was that the entire family would have to work alongside him, with no chance to ever repay the debt — and little hope for rescue.
So, instead of going to school, Rajeshwari went to work with her parents in the brick kiln, breathing in fumes and thick dust as they made bricks day after day. They were only rarely permitted to exit the grounds one person at a time — a method to ensure that families can never escape together.
Thanks to the support of IJM donors, our investigators were able to secretly hand off a smartphone to her father when he was outside the kiln. Rajeshwari used that phone to text a hand-drawn map to our rescue team so they could find her family in a maze of crowded kilns.
John, Rajeshwari’s brave action and accurate drawing is an inspiring part of her family’s rescue. That rescue would have never happened without people who are committed to justice like you. We are so grateful to have you with us in our mission to rescue, protect and restore those in need.
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