“I liked everything about him. He had come to my village during the war. He was stationed there for over 3 months. He would come around the school patrolling. Sometimes I would see him in the market and we would exchange looks and smile. One day he came to me and said, “Do you want to have tea with me?”. That was the first time we talked and after that we started seeing each other every chance we got. Two months later he asked me to marry him. I really loved him and I couldn’t say no even though I was just sixteen and I knew that my parent would not approve of our relationship. We had no choice but to elope. We came to Kathmandu and got married. I turned 17 and our first daughter was born. She is 11 now and goes to school. My husband still in the army. I work as a housemaid. However, my parents never forgave me. They know where I am through my sisters. I have tried calling and talking to them several times but they won’t speak to me. During Dashain I miss them. They must have grown old. It’s been 11 years I last saw them. I know that deep down inside they want to see their grand daughter if not me.”

– Sabita Gurung (name changed for anonymity), Chapakot, Kaski