It is like a personal dream come true. I had written about Anuradha Koirala and asked you to vote for her.
Now I hear that she has won the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Award!
Anuradha Koirala wins 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Award
Anuradha Koirala of Maiti Nepal received a CNN Hero award for her work in “protecting the powerless” and advancing the cause of human and equal rights at an awards ceremony at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium. Koirala and her group, Maiti Nepal, have worked to rescue more than 12,000 Nepalese girls and women from human trafficking and sexual exploitation, according to CNN.
I had got to know about her when I read about other contestants in the list. Learning about her and her NGO, I wished to help her win. I sent emails to hundreds of colleagues, posted many blog posts and also in public forums and social networking sites, asking everyone to vote for her. My sister also got into my campaign and we wanted particularly Indians to vote for her, even though there was another Indian listed in the contestants. Most of the Nepali girls, who are sent all across the world as part of human trafficking, are made to pass through India. What a shame for Indians. And I am sure that in this internet based contest where most people vote for their own nationalities, Anuradha would never have won without the support of Indians.
The news of Anuradha’s victory delights me to extent I can’t express. And more important than her is her initiative – to free this earth from female trafficking. Let us support anyone who has courage to fight that; in whatever means we can.
- Rahul
