Sunita Foundation

Introduction:
Ms Sunita Danuwar, a leading social activist, was a victim of human trafficking. As such, she is a shining example of a massive transformation, one which led her to be a counsellor and advocate for girls suffering the same fate. In fact, she was the founder member and president of Shakti Samuha, a non-governmental organization. Together with fourteen girls, originally from Nepal and all rescued from brothels in India, she personifies a ray of hope which acts as inspiration to all victims of such horrendous crimes. After 23 years of experience together with peer survivors, the organization Sunita Foundation is founded and led by Sunita Danuwar, a Trafficking In Person (TIP) Hero-2018. SF consolidates knowledge and experiences gained during the two decades at Shakti Samuha. In recognition of her exceptional leadership and her persistent community outreach and engagement with poor and rural communities to prevent human trafficking, and her untiring commitment to protect and empower survivors, she is listed in 36th out of 50 great leaders of the world for her continuous activism in anti-human trafficking campaign
(http://blog.damelionetwork.com/fortunes-worlds-greatest-leaders-2019-who-are-worlds-best-leaders
Her contribution to humanity should be respected by all.

Early Life:
Sunita was born to Mr. Ganga Ban and Mrs. Chandrakala Ban on 16th of July 1977 in Kasigadh VDC, Dailekh district which is located in the western remote rural part of Nepal. She was 5 years old, when she had already lost six siblings including one younger brother and one younger sister due to poverty and malnutrition. Her mother then forced the family to leave Dailekh as she believed the cause of death of her six children was due to witchcraft and black magic. Her family then migrated to Jammu and Kashmir, the northern part of India and took a land in lease for potato farming. The days were going well for nine years, until her family felt cheated again. This time her only brother went missing along with her uncle. After a couple of years, her family set for Nainital, as they suspected this was the place where they would locate her missing brother. On the way to Nainital, they met two Nepalese men who befriended the family; it was later these same men sold Sunita in Mumbai at the age of 14.

Education:
Because of poverty, Sunita Danuwar couldn't have the opportunity to go to school when she was young.It is still common practice in remote area and poor family of urban area of Nepal that daughters never fall in priority to get formal education.Probably, the same practice and thinking ruled her family, her only brother used to go school.One day she followed her brother, but she returned with bitter experience as a young kid. One of the school teacher shouted at her brother saying Sunita doesn't know anything, so she shouldn't have come school. From next day, she stopped to go school and after migrating to India also, she didn't have the chance to go school, as her family couldn't afford with main priority being making life.However, she learnt Nepali alphabet and numbers from her dad at home. Sunita always had a keen interest to get educated, so she joined seventh grade in 2001 in Kathmandu, Nepal after she returned from the brothels in Mumbai, India. She continued for two years till she was at ninth grade with the support of the donor of Shakti Samuha. She then had to discontinue her education in 2003 as the financial support ceased and she could not afford it herself. Her inner craving and passion to get formal education was eating her alive. So she again managed to get tuition class for four months in 2009 and she attended SLC, the final class of schooling in Nepal and sat the exam to which is considered as an iron gate to join colleges. To her surprise, she succeeded and she has no bounds of happiness with this success. Sunita then joined IA(Intermediate of Arts) in Padma Kanya college, Kathmandu and completed in two year regular class without any disturbance in 2012.

Awards:
Sunita Danuwar, a Trafficking In Person (TIP) Hero-2018.Ms. Danuwar is honored by different National and International Awards which include C10 Award in 2014 in Stockholm, Sweden, Asia Human Rights and Democracy Award in 2015 in Taiwan, World Women Leadership Achievement Award in 2015 in Mumbai and for her dedication and contribution in combating human trafficking as a survivor, she was conferred a national award by the Nepal Government on the occasion of the 10th National Day against Human Trafficking in 2016. She has also got the membership of first global survivor’s network and is also a member of the National Committee to Control Human Trafficking - NCCHT. Ms Danuwar was the central executive board member of NGO federation for two times. She is the member of GAATW and Vice president of WOREC.

Personal Portfolio: