Kisnikumari whose real name is Maya Devi, was featured in our bog on August 22nd under the title “Restoring Hope” with the promise of an update.
After 6 years of searching we have finally been able to trace her family, who thought she was dead.
Maya Devi who we have always known as Kisnikumari, was found sitting alone on the roadside in Nagpur. Malnourished and covered in lice she had an abscess on her head requiring surgery.
Maya became extremely depressed following the loss of her eldest son. She left home one day and became hopelessly lost from her remote village in Northern India.
Unable to read or write she couldn’t recall the vital information we needed to trace her village. Our many attempts led to nothing and it was frustrating not being able to help her return home; where she desperately wanted to be.
During the 6 years Maya stayed with us her physical and mental health improved. She forged friendships with some of the other women living in our shelter and earned money which she saved in an account.
Determined to find her family, Usha spent a great deal of time talking to Maya hoping to extract some new useful information. After lots of calls to various police departments across an area where we believed Maya to come from we were finally able to trace her family, who were shocked to hear that she was still alive.
2 days later Maya’s youngest son, her nephew and older brother arrived at our shelter to take her home to see her daughter and the grandchildren she’s never met.
We are thrilled at our success and more determined than ever to help many more lost and neglected women like Kisnikumari. Since returning home 2 weeks ago she has call 3 times and is clearly happy to be back. Of course she has left behind friends who miss her dearly.
Depressed and unwilling to communicate, Kisnikumari was found in a state of neglect
At the charity’s shelter she became popular and was able to save money she earned.
Meeting her son after 6 years and finally going home.