By Sharyn Steel & Zoe Dryden
Published Jan 12, 2015
“Determined to shelter my baby from Ketu's anger, I carried her down to the temple. I placed her on the temple forecourt. Kneeling behind her, I prayed to the goddess Bhagwati to bring me sons so that the violence and anger of my husband could end. I picked flowers and berries to offer the goddess; I didn't have rupees to give her.”As a five-year-old child in rural Nepal, Kharika Devkota struggles to come to terms with her arranged marriage. She confronts poverty, illiteracy, and a society that fails to recognize her most basic human rights; yet by ninety years of age, she has become a successful landowner, a micro-lender, and a beloved great-grandmother. Based on a true story, this book provides a rare insight into the exceptional courage and determination of this woman. The volunteer organization created by Zoe and Shreeram is Face Nepal www.facenepal.org.