Bhavani was Kidnapped at Five Years Old

Life was hard enough before Bhavani was forcefully taken from her parents.

Her mom and dad had been slaves on a sugarcane farm for a year. They were trapped to repay a loan they had taken out with the owner of the farm.

One day, they worked up the courage to ask the owner if they could take time off work to celebrate an important festival in their home state in India.

The slave owner refused. In fact, he was so angry that he increased their debt.

To show them he was serious, he kidnapped Bhavani. He knew they wouldn’t try to escape without her.

This little girl was the love of their lives.

To him, she was the ultimate bargaining chip.

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"No money, no child," he said. "Work to pay down the debt or you won’t get your daughter back."

Scared, angry and desperate, the two parents made an escape from the sugarcane farm. They eventually found a relative they hoped could help.

The relative alerted an IJM-trained organization, which alerted police.

Together, they entered the slave owner’s home and rescued Bhavani before any harm could be done.

For two long months, Bhavani had been held captive and forced to work in the owner’s home.

She missed her mother terribly.

And her mother missed her too. She and her husband could not think about anything else while they were apart from their little girl.

Now they were together. And now, they were free.

The slave owner was arrested and the whole family was given release certificates declaring their freedom.

The trial for the slave owner is ongoing. His story of abuse and lies is over.

But Bhavani's story is just beginning. Instead of an uncertain future in slavery, she has a sure future of freedom.

Thanks to supporters like you, IJM trained partner organizations that freed Bhavani's future.

Her parents are working—and getting paid fairly—in their native village. They wake up every morning now realizing they are free.

“It’s because of IJM that we were able to come out of this dangerous situation,” said Bhavani’s mother.