"I am a 40 years old single mother, Pushpa Budha from Bardiya, Nepal. I have been  working as a school peon. I got married at the age of 19 and gave birth to two daughters five years later within a year's gap. When my younger daughter reached one, my husband married another woman. My conservative in-laws thought of my daughters as burdens who had to eventually become another family's property.

My mother in law suggested I flee with another man. It was a tough time for me. But I was responsible for my girls. At the time, my only supporters were my neighbours. After ten years of marriage, we separated.My daughters and I moved into my parents' house fourteen years ago, and we've stayed here ever since.

I am singlehandedly bearing the financial costs of raising my daughters. I have been providing them a good education despite my limited income. People, including my husband, question my character linking my name with random men. He has always refused to even accept our daughters as his.However, I didn't let anybody's opinion affect my knowledge of the truth.

I was determined to fulfil a parent's obligations towards my daughters at whatever cost. Making them capable of standing on their own is my only dream now. I believe it's possible for women to have an existence independent of a man. "