”I didn’t go to school. I was married off at the age of 13. Soon after, I lost my parents. My husband was an auto driver and he too died in an accident. The case was also closed soon and we didn’t get any compensation. I had a happy childhood. The problems arrived at my doorstep when I lost my husband. When he passed away, my daughter was 4-years-old and my son was 2- -years-old. I had no one to look after us. With no options in hand I had to end up becoming a sex worker. No one helped us including the government. After my husband died, all our relatives severed ties with us. Now my daughter is married. I had to make my son discontinue his studies post intermediate, as I couldn’t afford to pay his fees. He is working in a garment shop now. I got polio and due to that I still can’t walk properly. Had I been born healthy, I wouldn’t have had to enter this profession. I don’t know how to apply and where to apply for my operation and no one helped me with this process. I don’t even know about Arogyasri and that is one reason I haven’t gone for the checkup yet.

My entire life is gifted with nothing but pain and agony. No Chief Minister came forward to help us. No one ever campaigned here. I am getting 3,000 as a pension but it isn’t sufficient. I have some debts, if the government helps in clearing those debts and can provide me some shelter, I am ready to leave this profession. I get 1,000 per day, sometimes less than that also. My children will hate me if they know what I do for a living. My children don’t come here, I go there and meet them.

I take safety precautions, so I don’t bother about diseases like HIV. I don’t want young girls to enter this profession because I don’t them to go through what we went through. If anyone can provide me some employment, I am ready to quit.”

#Pain #Work #Peddapuram #Profession #Andhra #HumansOfAndhra