Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content. 

Hailing from Kacheri Gaon, a small hamlet in the Jajpur district of Odisha, Jhunbala Malick was born into a family of labourers. Her mother had to undergo surgery, so Jhunbala had to compromise her studies and step up to care for her family — her parents and three siblings; she could only study till Class 5.

At a tender age, she started working on the farm along with her father, who was an agricultural labourer. He could barely earn enough to meet the medical expenses of her mother. “It was a painful period. At times, we used to eat one day and skip meals on the other,” the now 31-year-old tells The Better India.

A few years later, she was married off. She hoped for a better life, but luck did not favour her.

From abject poverty, Jhunbala went into an abusive relationship.

“My husband was an alcoholic. He used to drink all the time, even during the day. Before marriage, I did not even know his name, let alone his behaviour and habits. He used to beat me up. Not only him, but my father-in-law, mother-in-law and sister-in-law would also beat me up. When I would complain about this, my husband would not listen. He never supported me,” recalls the tribal........

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