9-Year-Old Reunited with Parents After Months in Captivity

A survivor leader in South Asia has helped local authorities reunite a nine-year-old girl with her parents after she was held captive by a mango farm owner to force her parents to work on the farm.

The family – a mother, father, and their young daughter – had been lured to the farm with a deceptive upfront payment and the promise of legitimate jobs. But once they arrived, the reality hit: they were trapped.

Forced to work from dawn till dusk, cleaning the five-acre farm, plucking mangoes, and watering trees, the family endured constant verbal abuse and beatings whenever they paused to rest. They were forbidden from leaving.

When the parents tried to repay part of the advance and leave, the farm owner retaliated by taking their daughter hostage. For three months, the nine-year-old was held as leverage, while her parents were forced back to work – unable to see her.

A survivor leader, pictured, heard about the case and immediately alerted the authorities. Acting swiftly, government officials – supported by IJM’s local partner, Jeevana Jwala – investigated and found clear evidence of forced labour trafficking. The family was brought to safety and reunited. 

Officials issued release certificates to cancel the family's false debt. Jeevana Jwala is now providing ongoing care and taking legal action against the perpetrator. This successful operation highlights a growing partnership between survivor leaders and government officials – a powerful step toward ending forced labour in South Asia.

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