Suma, 14

A product of neglect and mistreatment,Suma grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with her father, mother, and her twolovers. She suffers from severe psychological trauma as a result.

Suma arrived at Odanadi in October 2007,having run away to escape the trauma of her home life. Her mother kept threepartners in the same bedroom as her daughters, who witnessed her sex life andwere subsequently deeply affected by it. Before coming to Odanadi Suma says shetried to commit suicide on a number of occasions by swallowing poison

‘I told my mother that if she didn’t get rid of the man then I will kill myself. If they don’t leave then I will die,’ she said.

In the village where the familylived, Suma and her mother were branded prostitutes, which she believes led toher attempted rape by an acquaintance of her mothers. When she tried tocomplain about him, her mother dismissed it.

After running away from home, Suma was brought to Odanadi and has made many friends. She is not able to attend school because of her psychological condition, but she works hard on cleaning and housework and is regularly attended by psychiatrists. She says

 I cannot have big dreams because I am uneducated, but I would like to learn how to drive and become financially independent – so I can teach my mother something and become a role model of other women.'
 

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