Slavery Survivor Returns to School — As a Teacher

As the school year begins, it’s important to recognize that teaching is a profession that often requires bravery. But one teacher in India, Daulati Kumari, brings a special kind of bravery to her classroom. Daulati escaped slavery only a few years ago, and now she teaches children in a Free the Slaves program in communities […]
August 20, 2013

As the school year begins, it’s important to recognize that teaching is a profession that often requires bravery. But one teacher in India, Daulati Kumari, brings a special kind of bravery to her classroom.

Daulati escaped slavery only a few years ago, and now she teaches children in a Free the Slaves program in communities where slavery is rampant.

Daulati was kidnapped by a man who had offered to take her to a doctor. Instead, she was sold into a forced marriage and enslaved for five months. Her parents alerted volunteers affiliated with MSEMVS, a frontline organization that receives funding and training from Free the Slaves. They went to court to force local police to help.

After Daulati was free, she enrolled at the Free the Slaves Punarnawa Ashram, where survivors recover and prepare to return to normal life. She studied hard at the ashram’s school, and when she was ready, she decided to join MSEMVS as a teacher.

daluti teaching 1“I never imagined that I would teach children,” Daulati says. “I learned a lot in the ashram.”

She’s seen as a local hero at small schools in isolated communities where violent thugs enslave families and traffic children.

“They are intelligent kids,” she says, but formal education “is difficult because they have never been to school. I sit with each child, and hold their hand.”

Daulati knows the risks she is taking. But she also knows that without education, children are vulnerable to slavery. She is an emerging leader in a growing movement to create a generation that will live in freedom.

That is what sets Free the Slaves apart: we are building a movement of survivors, of people around the world who are standing up to slaveholders.  Last year alone, we helped free more than 1,750 slaves and educated more than 14,000 community members how to resist slavery.

Daulati is doing her part. Will you do yours?

Please consider making or renewing your donation to Free the Slaves today. Our program is working, but without support from you, slaves wait. End the wait. Make a gift. Help us build a future without slavery.

Can you help end the conditions that cause modern slavery?

Related Posts

From Victim to Survivor, to a Liberator

From Victim to Survivor, to a Liberator

The journey from victim to survivor is one of resilience and courage—but for many, the journey doesn’t stop there. In India, members of Azad Shakti Abhiyan (ASA), a survivor-led collective, are using their lived experiences to lead the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking. With over 400 members working across the most affected districts of Uttar Pradesh, ASA is raising awareness, identifying cases, and ensuring survivors receive the support they need.

read more
Community Safe Migration & Migrant Worker Protection Webinar

Community Safe Migration & Migrant Worker Protection Webinar

In September 2024, Free the Slaves and Verité hosted a webinar to share findings and lessons from the 19-month Fostering Fee Accountability and Cost Tracking (FFACT) Project, which tackled the complex issue of unsafe migration in South Asia. This event brought together 38 participants from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh to discuss solutions to safeguard migrant workers. The webinar also marked the first steps towards establishing a regional network for international migrants, set to launch in early 2025.

read more