Stories of real people

I don't know if you are the kind of person who pays attention to the UN interest in human rights around the world, but back in high school, I was a huge fan of following all the little acts against human trafficking and child soldiers and what not. Especially when UNICEF stepped in and had these petitions people could sign or write to their senators about (I wrote more than I care to admit). 

Anyway, all these concerns were based on the reports of numbers. So many million women and children kidnapped and shipped off into slavery. So many young men promised jobs abroad and they never come back home because they've been sold somewhere in the world. You see numbers, you feel sad and especially considering that United States is one of the major "importers" of these slaves, you feel a sense of obligation to do something. I did. God I was an active little high schooler. 

Story of Mehul 

Mehul was a marvadi boy, brothe-in-law of my ex-nanny, a Marvadi. I seem to recall years ago her telling me that he studied all the way, got married, and his parents spent tons of money (everything they owned and all their savings because they were really poor) on an agent who'd take him abroad and give him a job. He went to Malaysia, and they were so proud. Until weeks, months, years went by and no one heard from him. His new bride went back home, and his parents had no way of contacting him, finding him. 

By some miracle, Mehul was an exception though. He came back, seven years later, not rich or anything. Surviving. The whole town went to see him - but they only spoke in whispers. He had been in trouble. He had escaped and now he was home, his parents weren't going to let him out of his sight anymore. 

Story of Bharat
His parents didn't have much, but he put himself through school. School in the morning, work in the afternoon. He was in twelfth grade, a big deal for his family, and passing with high scores till now. Not to mention very attractive. Also related to the Marvadi family. One day, a month before he'd have finished school, he just did not come home from work. They put notices in newspapers, on billboards, everywhere. No sign. Bharat was nephew of the woman in the photograph below.