Anuradha Koirala - Nepal
"I would like to urge all the human beings around the world to please close your eyes and [imagine] these girls are your daughters and you will feel the pain of being trafficked." - Anuradha Koirala
Anuradha Koirala is a social activist and fights to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal's women and girls. Since 1993, she and her non-profit organization, Maiti Nepal, have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims.
Currently, Maiti Nepal operates a rehabilitation home in Kathmandu, as well as transit homes at the Indo-Nepal border towns, preventive homes in the countryside, and an academy in Kathmandu. As the name suggests, Maiti Nepal ("maiti" meaning "mother's home" in Nepali) has been a refuge for women rescued from the brothels in India. The women can stay in the homes run by Maiti Nepal until they are able to return to their homes or if not accepted by their parents they may stay until they become able to live on their own.
Maiti Nepal also works on reuniting the rescued women with their families, patrolling Indo-Nepal border with police and other law enforcement authorities and also rescuing trafficked women from the brothels in India with the help of Indian authorities.
Koirala received the Courage of Conscience Award from The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts on August 25, 2006. She won the CNN Hero of the Year award in 2010.
The United States government has given a two-year grant of $500,000 to Maiti Nepal in April 2010.
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