Laxmi and Ambika's Story

Ambika (10) and Laxmi (17) are two sisters who are living in the Girls Dream Home. Laxmi moved in 2016 when the girls home first opened and Ambika joined her in 2020.

The girls are from the Khalpar slum in Kolkata, India and belong to parents who work as a rickshaw puller and a maid servant. They also have one other sister, Sujata, who is a little older than Laxmi. When Ambika was born, Sujata was pulled from school to care for her newborn sister. At that time, the family sent Laxmi to live at her aunt’s house. The conditions were not great and she was often neglected, abused and denied food.

Her little sister joined her in 2020 after life in the slum worsened for the Sarkar family. Her mother works from the early morning until late evening, leaving no one to look after Ambika. Their father is an alcoholic with unpredictable binge drinking and outbursts of abuse. Unfortunately, their mother has been admitted to the hospital several times from the beatings her husband has given her.

Ambika was not safe, enduring her own abuse as well. SEED brought Ambika to the Girls Dream Home in 2020 where she’s safe, nourished and able to focus her thoughts on her future and not just surviving the trauma of the slum.

Both of these girls, despite what they grew up in, are loving and caring. Laxmi is quiet, smart and helpful. Ambika is confident, fun and will be the first to run up and give you a hug.

They are growing up knowing they are safe.