By Nirukshi de Lanerolle
Programme Coordinator
Madhu……. A girl to be admired. She always told me when we attended workshops that she wanted to join the forces. She was a keen listener in the Life Skills and Reproductive Health programmes and she had many questions to ask us. She was also an exceptional jewelry maker.
I was sad to see Madhu leave the shelter 6 months ago to live with her grandmum as her parents had abandoned her. However, her promise to me was that no sooner than when she secures a job, she would purchase a mobile phone and give me the first telephone call.
As promised, Madhu called me a few weeks ago to inform me that she was employed and was going to get married in a few days. I was overwhelmed when she told me about her upcoming wedding; I thought when I received her call that she was going to join the forces, as she always wanted to.
It was a sudden marriage as grandmum had no means to support her and the handsome young man who had proposed to her had visited her home and requested permission from her grandmother to marry her.
Madhu had not invited anyone to her wedding and it was going to be simple one. I got so excited that I told her that the Emerge team we would not miss such a wonderful occasion and we should be happy to partake in her joy. It was the first wedding of one of our past participants and we were very excited. We arranged a vehicle and joined the bridal party, as Madhu had no relatives to accompany her.
After registrations they were pronounced husband and wife and we were invited to the bridegroom’s house for a meal. When we arrived a tasty and homemade meal was prepared for us; there were around 20 guests at the wedding.
Madhu was so happy that we represented her and we in-turn were honoured to be a part of her family. After a while, we said our goodbyes and gave Madhu gifts we had bought for her. She was so happy and content that we shared her joy… I am so happy that working for Emerge allows me to be a part of memorable moments in people’s lives…
The Emerge Team at Madhu’s wedding