In a shady corner of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, a 29-year-old resilient woman weaves threads of hope into her being. A survivor of her human trafficking, she found solace and financial stability in an unlikely place: Patali Gur Business. She procures date jaggery from local farmers and sells it in her neighborhood during the winter season, earning her a profit of over Rs 5,000 in the past two years.
A winter of hope amidst adversity
The winter air in North 24 Parganas is thick with the sweet scent of Patali Gur, a type of date jaggery that is this woman's lifeblood. She visits a nearby farm and buys the golden delicacy for 230 rupees per kg, then returns to her neighborhood and sells it for 250 rupees. Although she earns a small profit, it allows her to support her two children and start dreaming about what's next. A brighter future.
Despite facing daily humiliation from her in-laws, parents and neighbors, she remains steadfast in her determination. Each sale of her Patali Ghoul is a testament to her strength and an act of defiance against those who seek to crush her spirit. Her winter months are her time to shine, to show herself and herself that she is more than a human trafficking survivor: she is a businesswoman, a mother, and a beacon of hope. To prove it to others.
Dream of expanding and becoming independent
She has a desire to expand her business, but is currently limited by a lack of the necessary capital. Her dream is to buy Patari her ghouls in larger quantities and sell them beyond her neighborhood, reaching more customers and increasing her profits. This dream is not just a fantasy. It's a carefully calculated strategy to ensure a better life for your children and yourself.
Selling Patali Guru during winter is her main source of income. For the rest of her year, she sews clothes for her 70 rupees per day, a meager amount that barely covers her family's basic needs. But Patali Gur's business offers a glimmer of hope for a future where she can become self-sufficient and free from the cycle of poverty and humiliation.
Waiting for compensation and fighting for justice
Her ongoing case against her alleged trafficker has cast a long shadow over her life. She applied for victim compensation through the District Legal Services Office, but her application is still pending. If approved, she plans to invest her funds in the Patali Guru business, further cementing her path to independence.
As she waits for justice to be served and compensation to be given, she continues to sell Patali Ghoul, each time winning a small victory in her fight for a better life. Her story is a reminder that even in the darkest of circumstances, there is always a silver lining, a sweet taste of success waiting to be discovered.
In West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, a 29-year-old human trafficking victim is finding solace and financial security in the Patali Gur business. Despite being subjected to daily humiliation from her family and neighbors, she has managed to earn more than Rs 5,000 by selling date jaggery in her neighborhood during the winter. She has a desire to expand her business and become independent. She is waiting for compensation to her victims, which she plans to invest in Patali Guru's business. Her case against her alleged trafficker is still ongoing and serves as a reminder of her resilience and determination to build a better life for herself.
