At the beginning of an interview I always ask the interviewee if they would like to remain anonymous and have their identity and location hidden and this is how she responded:

“Why should I hide from others my reality? I have to take care of my kids. Why should I hide my story? What happened to me was not my fault."

 Indra Maya Poudel is 29 years old. She left her family in Nepal to work in Kuwait as a maid. She was promised a salary of 70 dinar per month.

Instead Indra was trafficked. She was forced into prostitution, raped, tortured, beaten and abused. She managed to escape by climbing down the side of a 20-story building using electrical wire.   

Her story is not uncommon among female workers, who migrate to find work aboard in the hopes of providing a better life for their families. 

Staff at the Safe Migration booth at Kathmandu’s Airport told me that they have to co-ordinate the transportation of around 80 bodies per month flown back from Gulf countries.

They tell me that they receive the bodies of 4 young Nepali women a week. 

I would like to pay respect to Indra for having the courage to tell her story and presenting me with a body of evidence.