Pluck Flowers Without Breaking the Stem

Sani Pariyar was born into a so-called lower-caste Nepalese family, regarded as untouchable. Poverty and untimely family responsibilities led to her being trafficked, or ensnared into white slavery. After a few years of victimization in India, she never knew the reason as to why her pimp allowed her to return in Nepal.

It became known only after a few months of medical treatment, when she was discovered to be infected by HIV/AIDS. In Nepal, a young woman, once trafficked, is not expected to resettle in her birthplace, since this would bear an unacceptable moral and social stain. Sani accordingly started her newest career in one of the most admired rehabilitation centers in Nepal, Maiti Nepal. Her goal of a social service career came to an end when she died of the disease, leaving us with nothing more than heart-rending, poetic words from her diary.

"Now it's night and obviously there is morning the next day
Now is tragedy and obviously there is unification one day
Be as stable as an ocean or as aggressive as turbulence
Entire world is selfish and be aware in every step
Life is a flower and it has to dry down
Your love is just a dream but one day you will betray
No need of jewelry but just pour love for me
Nothing more of loves but give your support to me."

In her diary she defined the grief and pain of her suffering as a 9-year old

"Where would I start to write the story of my life? When I was very young, my mother left my brother and me alone. At that time, I was just 9 years old. My father often drank alcohol and used to torture us every day. He used to beat us. My father did not feed us. My younger brother always used to shout at me, asking for food. My sweet brother used to cry for hunger.

At the age of 9, I had no idea where to get food to kill the hunger. Harassed and helpless, I always cried together with my brother. Without any other choice, I started to beg and became a beggar. There was no solace in this. Others started to scold me, and I even got beaten up for begging. With the passage of time, I reached 17 years of age and was capable of physical labor to earn some money. In the meantime, my father introduced our stepmother, who would never care for us (Sani and her brother). She never valued my toughest struggles either. Thereafter, I quit my family and village. It has been three years now." At the age of 9, I had no idea where to get food to kill the hunger. Harassed and helpless, I always cried together with my brother. Without any other choice, I started to beg and became a beggar. There was no solace in this. Others started to scold me, and I even got beaten up for begging. With the passage of time, I reached 17 years of age and was capable of physical labor to earn some money. In the meantime, my father introduced our stepmother, who would never care for us (Sani and her brother). She never valued my toughest struggles either. Thereafter, I quit my family and village. It has been three years now."

Sani seemed sentimental towards life and the dictates of her heart.

"Wherefrom shall I start to define the life
Is that from birth or from the death shall I start
From smile or start from tears
Finally, wherefrom shall I start to define the life."

"As at the date, never meant to betray you
As at the date, I never meant your life a toy
Remembrances make even sky nearer
If trying to forget, own courtyard is farthest
Learn to pluck flowers without breaking the stem
Learn to love without breaking the heart
Who feeds the avian flying in the sky?
Who shelters to the one unlucky like me?"

Sani wrote in her diary about the end days and unmet desires.

"My name is Sani. These days I feel confused. My mind is restless. I am getting lonely. I have no hope to live. I am infected with deadly disease, but I want to live more and want to serve others, but the 'situation' is unfavorable to me. Bye-bye for today."

In 2006, the US State Department reported that one million children are exploited in the global sex trade. Another report (2002) quoted that 8.4 million children throughout the world are in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage and other forms of forced labour, forced recruitment for armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities (2002).

An end of trafficking and a proper campaign on HIV/AIDS to teach awareness to potential future Sanis would be a true tribute to her.