This is a beautiful story of redemption, a story of one father’s change affecting a whole community.

When one of our partners met Parvani*, she was unloved and neglected by her parents, particularly her father, Konhaiya*. He firmly believed that women were lesser than men and were only good for cooking and cleaning. Parvani wasn’t provided with food or clothes and was frequently beaten for minor mistakes. Because this was how her friends were treated too, Parvani thought this was normal.

Our social workers dedicated months to intervening in Parvani’s life at home through counseling and challenging Konhaiya’s views on women. Konhaiya’s growth began with allowing his daughter to attend school, and with our social workers’ encouragement, he slowly started to visit her at school and see what she was accomplishing. The real turning point was when Konhaiya realized Parvani’s true potential and value, and regretted that he had adopted the social norm of discrimination against women.

Now, Konhaiya* is a proud father and loves his daughter Parvani* unconditionally. He works hard to provide for his wife and daughter, and has picked up additional work in order to ensure that all of their needs are met. Not only that, but Konhaiya has also been an agent of change in his community! He shares his story with his friends and has affected the beliefs of five friends, drastically changing the lives of their daughters. Konhaiya also fights against domestic violence and the general mistreatment of children in the village and advocates for the rights of women. He is now a local hero in the eyes of Parvani and other girls in the village who have been impacted by his heart change.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there who love their daughters unconditionally! We’re grateful for the way you’re creating change!