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Anuradha Koirala

Maiti nepal’s founder, director and guiding force..

Ms. Anuradha Koirala is the Founder and Executive Director of Maiti Nepal. Born in Nepal and former English teacher, Ms. Koirala started Maiti Nepal in a small house in Kathmandu with her own savings. Today she is a widely recognized activist and lecturer who has dedicated her life to combating the sexual exploitation of women and children.

Her accomplishments have been  recognized through numerous awards . Her work is often dangerous and requires great personal sacrifice. The criminal elements that “deliver” young girls are a ruthless enemy and have political connections at the highest levels in India and Nepal. Maiti Nepal’s main office in Kathmandu has been destroyed twice and Maiti workers must travel with a bodyguard when overseeing rescue missions in India.

Her commitment has been an inspiration to her largely volunteer staff. Most of the workers are rescued girls and young women who are healthy enough to work. “They need little incentive from me,” states Ms Koirala. “They are working to help their sisters and they know the horror of the victims.” She adds, “Society rejects me and my girls, but they are the most important thing in my life.”

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Empowering Women Against Violence

Meet the Woman Extraordinaire – Anuradha Koirala

Anuradha Koirala  is the founder and director of Maiti Nepal – a non-profit organization in Nepal, dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking. She won the CNN Hero of the year award in 2010.

Tell us more about yourself and what you do. I consider myself to be an ordinary woman. I feel and react to circumstances just like any other woman. The difference is how I react to specific incidents, events and conditions that surround me. My surroundings and circumstances inspired me to work for others and to care for their welfare and safety. I was born in a pious family where social work was actively encouraged and this culture at home motivated me immensely to pursue my passion towards social work. I was encouraged by my grandfather to take up social work. He would often cite examples of Mother Teresa and her selfless dedication. Her examples left a lasting impression and inspired me to follow her path as a social worker. I have dedicated my life towards the prevention of sex trafficking and have thereby contributed to creating a society free from trafficking of children and women. This has now become my mission and this vow to eradicate sex trafficking has a lot to do with my childhood upbringing and family culture.

I love to sing and dance when I am in the mood. Sometimes people have presumptions about me because of my fame, awards and reputation, but I think of myself as a simple woman who wants to ensure that nobody around her is trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation or victimized through other forms of violence.

What has been the most defining moment of your life that shaped your mindset and paved the way for human trafficking activism? I was a teacher before I started Maiti Nepal . Although, democracy was restored in Nepal (in 1990), it was only the elites who benefited. The condition of the women belonging to the marginalized/ethnic sections of the society remained the same. They were trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, became victims of domestic violence and were heavily discriminated by the society and their own families. The unequal power structure in relation to their male counterparts further kept them in high perils of violence.

Although there were many NGOs, the problem of human trafficking was enormous. The state was almost mum about the issue despite the gravity of the problem. I pledged to safeguard the rights of women and children and committed myself to being an activist against human trafficking

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you overcome them? The challenges were countless! I drew immense energy and inspiration from the women and children I worked for and this helped me overcome many challenges. It is not an easy task to continuously fund and sustain an NGO. To give you an example of the difficulties I faced, Maiti Nepal was started with only two rented rooms. The rooms were used as an office during the day and shelter at night. There was acute shortage of funding and on many occasions, I sold my personal belongings to run the NGO. But I have no regrets about this. For me bringing happiness to the women and children I work for is more valuable than my personal belongings.

What was your inspiration behind starting Maiti Nepal? I used to visit Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple centrally located in Kathmandu valley. During these visits, I encountered many women who had heartbreaking stories. Some of them were trafficked survivors, some divorcees, some had been raped and many were destitute. They were all illiterate and naive. I felt that if an educated and aware woman like me would not speak for their rights, nobody would extend a helping hand for these ill-fated women. I thought of setting up an NGO to work for the rights of these women. They thought of me as a mother who would always care when her daughters are in trouble. As Maiti means mother’s home in Nepali, I registered my organization as Maiti Nepal.

What is your idea of an empowered woman? An empowered woman is one who is not only self-secure but is also able to provide safety and security to the people around her. She has the potential to influence and bring positive changes to her immediate surroundings, her society and the state. She is well informed and proactive in all aspects – social, economic, political and legal.

Message for our readers related to women’s personal safety and the issue of violence against women. In many occasions, violence against women is the result of unequal power relations between men and women and it is mostly influenced by the gender roles. In Nepal, patriarchy and feudal culture has posed a threat over women’s safety, rights and dignity. This may be true to some extent in many other societies. Violence against women is a severe violation of human rights and it is in many cases catalyzed by women’s submissive nature. In order to guarantee safety and minimize violence, women should speak for their rights irrespective of stereotypes and traditional barriers. They should emerge as leaders and not behave as ladders.

Bio Born in Nepal, Anuradha Koirala finished her schooling in Kalimpong, India and taught English in reputed Kathmandu schools for 20+ years. Ms. Koirala founded Maiti Nepal in 1993, a non-profit organization, dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Maiti Nepal operates three prevention homes, nine transit homes, two hospices and a high school. Conducting awareness campaigns, community sensitization, border patrol, rescue operations, apprehending traffickers, providing legal support to the needy, women empowerment programs, providing counseling, education and support to destitute women, survivors of trafficking and victims of domestic violence, providing anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to HIV-infected women and children, are regular activities of Maiti Nepal .

Anuradha Koirala won the CNN Hero of the Year award in 2010 for her relentless contribution in the campaign against human trafficking. Her accomplishments have been recognized through 34 national and international awards. Due to her persistent struggle, Government of Nepal recognized 5th of September as national anti-trafficking day.

Anuradha Koirala

Anuradha Koirala is the founder and director of the non-profit organization, Maiti Nepal, which advocates against human trafficking and protecting women in Nepal. Maiti Nepal currently operates a rehabilitation home in Kathmandu, as well as homes in the Indo-Nepal border towns. In 2006, Koirala received the courage of Conscience Award from The Peace Abbey in Massachusetts. In addition, in 2010, she was awarded CNN Hero of the Year.

Mrs. Anuradha Koirala Address at Global Peace Leadership Conference, 2012 Seoul, Korea

Maiti Nepal

Maiti Nepal Facebook

CNN Video: The fight to end sex trafficking

Anuradha Koirala

Known as the “Mother Teresa” of Nepal, Nepalese activist Anuradha Koirala (born 1949) has dedicated her life to ending human trafficking. Koirala founded Maiti Nepal in 1993. Since then, the notfor-profit agency has rescued and rehabilitated more than 12,000 women and girls who had been victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, or exploitation .

For the thousands of women and girls rescued from abuse or slavery by the humanitarian organization Maiti Nepal, agency founder Anuradha Koirala is seen as a hero. “I got a new life which wouldn't have been possible without her,” one rescued teen told the Nepal Mountain News . “I feel blessed to be able to get her love. Now, she's like my mother.” Koirala could not see herself doing any other type of work. “God has not only made our eyes to see those who are suffering, but He also made our hands to serve them,” she told David Holmstrom of the Christian Science Monitor .

Koirala was born April 14, 1949, in Rumjatar, Okhaldhunga, Nepal, the daughter of Colonel Pratap Singh Gurung and Laxmi Gurung. Her father was an army officer and Koirala grew up in an upper-middle-class family. She received an education at the Catholic-run St. Joseph's Convent School in Kalimpong, India, where courses were taught in English. She became a teacher and spent two decades educating children in Kathmandu.

Koirala married young and endured a marriage characterized by terrible abuse. “Every day, there was battering,” she later told CNN online contributor Ebonne Ruffins. As a young wife, Koirala had several miscarriages, which she attributed to the beatings. “It was very difficult because I didn't know … where to go and report [it].” This situation led her to understand that women in her position had nowhere to turn for help. After three decades of marriage, around 1989, her husband brought home another woman. At this point, Koirala left, taking her son with her, and this was a bold move within her culture.

Helped Female Beggars off Streets

In the early 1990s, Koirala sought solstice and comfort by visiting the Hindu Pashupatinath Temple grounds in Kathmandu. Every day, she walked past the hordes of female beggars and wondered what had brought them there. She gave thanks that she had been able to escape from a bad situation without ending up on the streets. Koirala later discussed her temple conversations in the TEDx talk posted online as “Stop Selling Our Girls.”

“I started talking to them every day, and I was trying to tell them about empowerment of women … violence against women,” she noted in her TED talk. “I told them I will give them some support if they leave begging.” As Koirala soon learned, all of the beggar women near the temple had been victimized by violence; helpless and illiterate, they were still able-bodied. As Koirala recalled to Washington Post writer John Ward Anderson, she provided pep talks to these women, telling them, “You're healthy with two arms and two legs. Why do you beg? Start doing something on your own and stop forcing yourselves and your children into such a filthy place.”

Seeking a means to empower women to take control of their lives, Koirala hit upon the idea of issuing micro loans to those forced into poverty by violence. Koirala gave them 1,000 rupees each so they could open their own street stalls in Kathmandu and sell vegetables, cigarettes, and candies. “I made it clear that they had to return two rupees to me every day so that with that money I could support another woman,” Koirala explained in her TEDx-Gateway talk.

Founded Maiti Nepal

Once Koirala's organization became official, she broadened her mission. Instead of just helping mothers and taking in children, she turned her attention to rescuing Nepali girls from the sex trade. Many Nepalese girls ended up in India because Indian men found them highly attractive due to their light skin and because of superstitions that Nepalese virgins had special curative powers. Soon Koirala was taking in girls as young as 13 or 14 who had escaped from brothels with broken limbs. She took in girls no one wanted. She housed babies left in trash bins, girls who were HIV-positive, and young women who had been sent to mental institutions.

Through her efforts, Koirala heard horror story after horror story among her rescued victims. She learned that during a “breaking-in” period, many girls were subjected to gang rape. On a typical work day, some girls serviced 30 men a day, receiving as little as $1 per client. Girls as young as 12 were locked up in houses or cages and kept until they got too old to satisfy the customers or until they caught a sexually transmitted disease. To ensure compliance, girls were shocked with electricity. Even girls as young as eight were sold into the business.

The more Koirala learned about the brothels, the more determined she became to end human trafficking. She rescued a 13-year-old girl who had been sent to Mumbai and suffered four years of physical and sexual abuse. Through education and rehabilitation, this young woman became strong enough to face her trafficker and see him put behind bars. In this way, the mission of Maiti Nepal expanded again with a goal of helping victims seek prosecution against the sex traffickers who placed them in the business. By 2016, the nonprofit agency had aided in the prosecution and conviction of more than 1,200 traffickers.

Launched Education Initiative

The human trafficking problem was even larger than Koirala imagined: U.S. Department of State estimates suggested that, by the 1980s, as many as 12,000 Nepalese women and girls were taken to India annually. Koirala soon realized she was fighting not only the traffickers, but a culture with a long-standing tradition of placing women in subservient roles, thus contributing to the problem. With limited opportunities for the future, many village girls freely chose to go to India, viewing it as a chance for a better life. Koirala also discovered that many of the girls who ended up in India had been sold by desperate family members who did not understand the ramifications of their actions.

Given the situation, Koirala realized that education was necessary to alleviate human trafficking. “Families are tricked all the time,” she told CNN online contributor Ruffins. “The trafficking of the girls is done by people who are basically known to the girls, who can lure them from the village by telling them they are getting a nice job.”

In the 1990s, Koirala began visiting the mountain villages of Nepal to educate residents about the reality of human trafficking. She went door-to-door, explaining that traffickers might try to trick them into giving their daughters away for marriage or offer the girls a nice job in the city, told they would get jobs as dancers or housemaids or employment in a garment factory. Koirala told the villagers that this scenario was unlikely and that if they let their daughters the girls would probably end up in a brothel. Over the years, Koirala enlisted the help of college students and other social activists to join her visits to mountain villages in the hope of educating families. The program also encouraged informants.

Koirala discussed her education program in an interview with photojournalist Mikel Dunham that appeared on his blog. “It's not like just talking, talking, talking,” she explained. “We put up posters, distribute pamphlets, and sing popular Nepali songs as a means of gathering the people together. And then we disseminate the message. Police accompany us and they explain to the villagers that there are laws against these crimes. Then the lawyers explain what the penalty for trafficking is. Then the nurses tell them about HIV-AIDS. So this is how we go around in all the districts.”

Expanded Mission

Besides education, Maiti Nepal set up transit homes along the Nepali border to try to intercept traffickers and rescue girls. As of 2016, the organization ran about a dozen transit homes, which housed surveillance teams who worked with police to grab women and girls being taken across the border. Many of the transit homes were staffed by rescued girls who worked to educate police on how to spot pimps. Transit team members spent their days at the border checkpoints working with police to stop cars and question occupants. When Maiti Nepal workers found a vehicle with a young girl inside, they would offer her a way out and take her back to the safety of the transit house.

Although it was dangerous, another prong of attack for Koirala included accompanying police on brothel raids. In 1999, she went to Mumbai to raid a brothel and had kitchenware and shoes hurled at her. Raids allow for the direct rescue of girls and women. Once rescued, victims are taken to one of Maiti Nepal's rehabilitation homes. Besides receiving food and clothing, these girls are offered psychological services and taught skills to make them self-sufficient in the future. Many receive vocational training or instruction in sewing, horticulture, handicrafts, or furniture making. The goal of Maiti Nepal is to ensure that the girls leaving their care have a skill that enables them to earn money so they do not end up on the streets or become tempted to return to prostitution.

Besides rehabilitation homes, Maiti Nepal runs prevention homes that provide shelter for babies, as well as for women in their 30s. Women at the prevention homes are taught vocational skills, too, in an effort to prevent them from turning to prostitution. The organization also runs two hospices, which house rescued girls suffering from AIDS or other fatal illnesses. Girls who return from the brothels with AIDS are often not wanted by their families. Koirala has sought to provide them with dignity in their last days.

Received Recognition, International Help

By 2000, Koirala was recognized as a leading activist in the field and was asked to speak regularly at global conferences on human trafficking. In 2010, she was awarded CNN's Hero of the Year Award, which garnered a prize of $100,000 for her organization. Winning the award brought greater awareness to human trafficking in Nepal. Afterward, Koirala partnered with U.S. actress Demi Moore for the CNN Freedom Project documentary Nepal's Stolen Children .

Despite the success stories, Koirala felt heartbroken that her organization kept growing. “My wish is to close Maiti Nepal as soon as possible because it will mean that trafficking has been completely eradicated in Nepal,” she told the Nepali Times . “The day I can close down Maiti Nepal will be my happiest day.”

Periodicals

Christian Science Monitor , April 14, 1999, David Holmstrom, “Saving Nepal's Girls: One Woman's Efforts to Stop the Trade in Girls for Brothels,” p. 11.

Washington Post , April 14, 1995, John Ward Anderson, “Nepal's Shame: Girl-Trafficking Meets a Determined Roadblock,” p. D1.

CNN online , http://www.cnn.com/ (April 30, 2010), Ebonne Ruffins, “Rescuing Girls from Sex Slavery.”

Maiti Nepal website , http://www.maitinepal.org/ (December 15, 2016), “Anuradha Koirala.”

Mikel Dunham blog , http://www.mikeldunham.blogs.com/ (April 19, 2013), Mikel Dunham, interview with Koirala.

Nepal Mountain News online , http://www.nepalmountainnews.com/ (December 18, 2016), “Anuradha Koirala Risks Her Life Rescuing Sex Slave.”

Nepali Times online , http://nepalitimes.com/ (November 12, 2010), “Nepal's Hero.”

TEDxTalks website , http://tedxtalks.ted.com/ (February 26, 2015), “Stop Selling Our Girls/Anuradha Koirala” (video).❑

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A Social Activist: Anuradha Koirala

“Just imagine what would happen if your daughter was standing there. What would you do, how would you fight? So you have to join hands, you have to take each child as your daughter. Soon you will feel their sorrow and then you will feel the strength that comes out of you to protect them.”

‘Savior’ to thousand of girls who were forced to be sex slave for years, Anuradha Koirala is a true blessing to our country. Founder and Executive Director of Maiti Nepal, she devoted her life to save women and children from human traffickers. Honored with a number of awards including, Mother Teresa Awards, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award and Padma Shri Awards, Ms Koirala became CNN Hero in year 2010. Up until now, she has received thirty-eight national and international awards.

Anuradha Koirala began the journey of her life on 14th of April, 1949 as a beloved daughter of Laxmi Gurung and Colonel Pratap Singh. Born and raised in the hill station of Kalimpong, India, she pursued her education through St. Joseph Convent School where she discovered her passion for social work. Married at a very young age, her nuptial ended in a bad note. Domestic violence survivor, Anuradha had nowhere to go and in that moment, she felt the need of an organization that would help homeless women.

Ms. Koirala established ‘Maiti Nepal’ in 1993 with little saving she had. Initially, she helped eight victims of domestic violence to be independent by running their own shop. Slowly the organization grew and eventually was backed by UNICEF. Started in a small house, Maiti Nepal now has multiple branches and provides an array of services. It has been conducting a number of activities such as women empowerment, social awareness, skill development and counseling since decades. It also provides anti-retroviral therapy to those affected by HIV AIDS.

The organization does not just save innocent girls from being the slaves of sex market but also rescue and support those women who have already been through that hell. Women, returned from the Indian brothels are not accepted easily by society in fact by their own family. In this case, Maiti Nepal provides them both shelter and trainings until they become capable of living all by their own. In addition to this, Maiti Nepal has been working on patrolling Indo-Nepal border with law enforcement authorities and police. The organization have helped rescue and rehabilitate thousands of girls and women till date. Currently, it is operating rehabilitation home and an academy in Kathmandu, preventive homes in rural areas and transit homes at the border of Nepal and India.dha Koirala is a true blessing to our country. Founder and Executive Director of Maiti Nepal, she devoted her life to save women and children from human traffickers. Honored with a number of awards including, Mother Teresa Awards, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award and Padma Shri Awards, Ms Koirala became CNN Hero in year 2010. Up until now, she has received thirty-eight national and international awards.

The organization does not just save innocent girls from being the slaves of sex market but also rescue and support those women who have already been through that hell. Women, returned from the Indian brothels are not accepted easily by society in fact by their own family. In this case, Maiti Nepal provides them both shelter and trainings until they become capable of living all by their own. In addition to this, Maiti Nepal has been working on patrolling Indo-Nepal border with law enforcement authorities and police. The organization have helped rescue and rehabilitate thousands of girls and women till date. Currently, it is operating rehabilitation home and an academy in Kathmandu, preventive homes in rural areas and transit homes at the border of Nepal and India. 

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Anuradha Koirala

1949 - Today

Anuradha Koirala (born Anuradha Gurung on 14 April 1949, in Okaldhunga district) is a Nepalese social activist and the founder of Maiti Nepal – a non-profit organization in Nepal, dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking. She was appointed as 1st Governor of Bagmati Province from (17 January 2018 – 3 November 2019) by the Government of Nepal.'Anuradha Koirala was the first child of the colonel Pratap Singh Gurung and Laxmi Devi Gurung. She belonged to an educated family and had a great opportunity for education at St . Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Anuradha Koirala has received more than 388,413 page views. Her biography is available in 19 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 16 in 2019) . Anuradha Koirala is the 17,177th most popular politician (down from 16,800th in 2019) .

Memorability Metrics

Page Views (PV)

Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

Languages Editions (L)

Effective Languages (L*)

Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Page views of Anuradha Koiralas by language

Over the past year Anuradha Koirala has had the most page views in the English wikipedia edition with 48,557 views, followed by Nepali (13,199) , and Maithili (1,352) . In terms of yearly growth of page views the top 3 wikpedia editions are Georgian (340.68%) , Simple English (157.80%) , and Sinhalese (150.13%)

Among POLITICIANS

Among politicians , Anuradha Koirala ranks 17,177 out of 19,576 .  Before her are Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría , Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee , Neville Cenac , Mike Gravel , Gaylord Nelson , and Bakhytzhan Sagintayev . After her are Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II , Hans-Peter Friedrich , Samuel Osgood , Amy Klobuchar , David Amess , and Fofi Gennimata .

Most Popular Politicians in Wikipedia

Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría

1971 - Present

Rank: 17,171

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

1944 - Present

Rank: 17,172

Neville Cenac

1939 - Present

Rank: 17,173

Mike Gravel

1930 - 2021

Rank: 17,174

Gaylord Nelson

1916 - 2005

Rank: 17,175

Bakhytzhan Sagintayev

1963 - Present

Rank: 17,176

1949 - Present

Rank: 17,177

Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II

1734 - 1803

Rank: 17,178

Hans-Peter Friedrich

1957 - Present

Rank: 17,179

Samuel Osgood

1747 - 1813

Rank: 17,180

Amy Klobuchar

1960 - Present

Rank: 17,181

David Amess

1952 - 2021

Rank: 17,182

Fofi Gennimata

1964 - 2021

Rank: 17,183

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1949 , Anuradha Koirala ranks 677 .  Before her are Nikolai Pankin , Eduard Kozynkevych , Haroun Kabadi , Marek Dąbrowski , Maggie Gobran , and Bert Vogelstein . After her are Eddie Hart , Mike Moore , Nancy Kyes , Zyta Gilowska , Richard Price , and Abhay Ashtekar .

Others Born in 1949

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Bert Vogelstein

1949 - 2020

Zyta Gilowska

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Richard Price

Abhay Ashtekar

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An Inspiring Lady with a Golden Heart- Anuradha Koirala

Along with her organization Maiti Nepal, between 1993 and 2011, she had rescued over 12000 women and girls and helped them for rehabilitation. Maiti Nepal not only provides a homely environment for those victims but also provides guidance to start a new life and connect them with their missing families. Anuradha Koirala was also the victim of domestic violence and she swore an oath that she would dedicate her entire life to rescuing the victims of violence and harsh realities. Ms. Koirala founded Maiti Nepal in 1993, and now it has multiple branches and now conducts numerous activities like women empowerment , social awareness, skill development, and counseling along with providing antiretroviral therapy to those affected by HIV AIDS. It also coordinates with the police for rescuing the victims of sex-trafficking.

Redeemer of thousands of victims, she proclaims Mother Teresa as her source of inspiration for voluntary and selfless contributions. She was appointed as 1st Governor of Bagmati Pradesh from 17th January 2018 to 3rd November 2019 by the Government of Nepal. She was also appointed as s former Assistant State Minister of Women Children and Social Welfare as an honor to her selfless contributions. Before founding Maiti Nepal, she grasped the profession of teaching in various schools in Kathmandu. After the establishment of Maiti Nepal, she dived into the service of humanity by setting up the homes for those who have nowhere to go. Thanks to her grueling efforts, the Government of Nepal came up with a good decision to celebrate 5th September as Anti-trafficking Day.

Recipient of more than 38 national and international accolades, she is a great follower of simplicity and humanitarian services. She received the Courage of Conscience Award from The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts on 25th August 2006. Besides, she has received the Best Social Worker of the Year Award (Nepal) in 1988,  Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal (Nepal) in 1999, Trishaktipatta Award in 2002, German UNICHEM Prize in 2007, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award in 2007, and Mother Teresa Award in 2014. She was also honored with Acharya Tulsi Katritva Puraskar by Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Mahila Mandal in 2014 and Padma Shri in April 2017 by President of India, Pranab Mukharjee, along with G.O.D. Award in 2018.

A great humanitarian Hero and a Saviour of numerous women and families, she always loves spending time with children. She is a true inspiration to everyone and she has proven that selfless service and strong determination always pays off. Dedicating to something with strong will and actions are the reasons for achievements which has been proven by Anuradha Koirala.

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Social Activist Anuradha Koirala’s Biography

For Victims of Sex Trafficking

Anuradha Koirala is a renowned social activist from Nepal. She is the Founder of a non-profit organization named Maiti Nepal ( maiti means Mother in Nepalese language), which is  focused on helping women and children victims of  sex trafficking .

While exploring about Anuradha Koirala we can come to know that she is also known as the Mother Teresa of Nepal. She was also appointed as the first Governor of the Bagmati Province of Nepal on 17 th January 2018.

Suffering Domestic Abuse

Born on 14 th April 1949 in Rumjatar, located in the Okhaldhunga district of Nepal to Colonel Pratap Singh Gurung and Laxmi Devi Gurung, Anuradha Koirala  was the eldest child of them. The age of Anuradha Koirala is 73 years. She did her schooling from St. Joseph Convent School in Kalimpong, India and taught English across different schools in Kathmandu for 20 years before coming up with Maiti Nepal in 1993.

Anuradha Koirala was married when she was very young and she suffered domestic abuse in her marital life. She thinks the domestic abuse was the sole reason for her three miscarriages. She eventually left her husband and after becoming alone with her child she thought of the need for an organization which would give shelter and support to women who have nowhere to go.

Refuge and Rehabilitation

She translated her noble idea into reality by starting Maiti House from a small house in Kathmandu as a rehabilitation centre for victims of domestic abuse and human trafficking.

Over the years, Maiti Nepal has acted as a refuge for thousands of women and girls rescued from brothels. Till they are able to return to their own homes, these unfortunate women and girls can stay in the homes run by Maiti Nepal. In case they are not accepted by their parents and their society at large, Maiti Nepal provides them refuge till they become self-sufficient.

A rehabilitation home in  Kathmandu , transit homes at the Indo-Nepal border towns, preventive homes in the countryside, and an academy in Kathmandu are within the operational ambit of Maiti Nepal.

Her great humanitarian work with Maiti Nepal should be explored in detail in any authoritative biography of Anuradha Koirala . During the last close to three decades Maiti Nepal has facilitated in the rescue and rehabilitation of more than 50,000 women and girls.

Wide Range of Service

Over the years, the scope of work of Maiti Nepal has expanded. Led by Anuradha Koirala , Maiti Nepal has the illustrious history of being engaged in rescuing trafficked girls, helping to catch traffickers, providing legal support to the needy, organizing social awareness program, providing antiretroviral therapy to those affected by HIV/AIDS.

The other praiseworthy works of Maiti Nepal involves reuniting the rescued women and girl with their families, and in patrolling Indo-Nepal border with police and other law enforcement authorities. 

Over the years, her sustained good work has managed to awaken the government of Nepal. The girl trafficking rate from Nepal has significantly reduced as compared to the early 1990s and the Nepal’s government now recognizes 5th September as National Anti-Human Trafficking Day. 

She was married to Dinesh Prasad Koirala. She is separated from her.

She was appointed as the first Governor of the Bagmati Province of Nepal on 17 th January 2018. Her tenure as a Governor continued till 3 rd November 2019.

As a social activist Anuradha Koirala has attracted global fame. She was the recipient of CNN Hero of the Year  award in 2010 and was honored with the Courage of Conscience Award from The Peace Abbey in  Sherborn, Massachusetts . She has received several national and international awards in recognition of her work.

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Biography of Anuradha Koirala : The Founder of Maiti Nepal

Having grown up in a family that valued assisting others, Anuradha Koirala was able to plant the seeds of service early in life. Her grandfather would frequently remind her to “don’t let the needy go hungry, even if you eat one fewer meal.” Due to her work saving and rehabilitating women, Anuradha Koirala is now well-known throughout Nepal. Anuradha Koirala, affectionately known as Dijju, which translates to “elder sister” in Nepali,.

Anuradha Koirala was born on April 14, 1949, to Colonel Pratap Singh Gurung and Laxmi Gurung. She studied at Kalimpong, India’s St. Joseph Convent, a hill station. Her commitment to social work and service was further strengthened by the mothers and sisters of her school. She was profoundly impressed and inspired by watching Mother Teresa’s work while she was a student in Calcutta. Her willingness to serve took precedence over her father’s ambition for her to become a lawyer and her aspirations to become an air hostess.

Ms. Koirala aspired to empower women, having herself endured persecution. Instead of begging, take action. She used to tell the women who were begging in the Pashupati area, “You have the capabilities.” She started assisting the women in her immediate vicinity while balancing her roles as a single mother and a schoolteacher.

Maiti Nepal  was established in 1993 with two rooms in order to shield women from trafficking and violence. Following the founding of Maiti Nepal, Ms. Koirala devoted her life to serving people. Her first job was to build up a house so that girls and women who have nowhere else to go might find a place of their own. Today, some thirty years later, Maiti Nepal operates sixteen transit homes, one prevention home, two women rehabilitation homes, one child protection home, two hospice centres, one information and surveillance centre at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), and one formal school (Teresa Academy). Every day, Maiti Nepal provides direct services to over a thousand children. Ms. Koirala’s unwavering resolve and extraordinary leadership made all of these possible.

The Government of Nepal now observes September 5 as Anti-Trafficking Day in recognition of her unwavering efforts in the areas of human rights and trafficking prevention. Ms. Koirala was named a former Assistant State Minister of Women, Children, and Social Welfare in recognition of her contributions. Additionally, she rose to the position of Honourable Governor of Nepal’s Province 3.

Worldwide recognition has been accorded to Ms. Anuradha Koirala for her valiant efforts and accomplishments in advancing women’s and children’s rights. 38 national and international honours have been bestowed upon her. Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal (Nepal 1999), Best Social Worker (Nepal 1998), Trishakti Patta Award (Nepal 2002), Peace Abbey, Courage of Conscience (USA 2006), German UNIFEM Prize 2007 (Germany 2007), Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award (Spain 2007), National Ideal Mother Award 2066 (Nepal 2010), Padma Shri (India 2017), and Human Rights Icon (2018) are a few of them.

Among her accomplishments are the release of girls from prostitution and the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to HIV-affected women and children prior to the Nepali government’s ability to start this procedure.

When Ms. Koirala was named the CNN Hero in 2010, it was a significant year. It represented the pinnacle of her compassion and struggle against the pernicious social issue of human trafficking. Both Maiti Nepal and the country as a whole are proud and honoured by her achievement.

Spending time with youngsters is something Ms. Koirala adores. She is a self-driven individual who enjoys taking on new and exciting tasks in leadership roles, both individually and in teams. She is still the driving force behind awareness-raising and the prevention of human trafficking.

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Saving thousands from 'crime against humanity'.

• Anuradha Koirala and her group, Maiti Nepal, have helped more than 12,000 escape sex slavery
• Koirala was chosen as a Top 10 CNN Hero for her efforts in Nepal
• Koirala: "We have to fight against this crime and protect the children from this"

Editor's note: CNN Heroes received more than 10,000 nominations from 100 countries, and a Blue Ribbon Panel selected the Top 10 CNN Heroes for the year. Voting for the CNN Hero of the Year continues through November 18 (6 a.m. ET) at CNNHeroes.com . The winner will be announced at " CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute ," which airs Thanksgiving night, November 25, at 8 ET.

(CNN) -- Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal's women and girls. Since 1993, she and her group, Maiti Nepal, have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims.

Below are her thoughts on being chosen as a Top 10 CNN Hero .

Q: Where were you when you got the call that you'd been selected as a Top 10 CNN Hero?

Anuradha Koirala: The day I found out that I'd been selected as a Top 10 CNN Hero, I was in Delhi, India. I'd had meetings with Indian and Nepalese government officials, police officers and [nongovernmental organizations] that are partnering with us regarding rescue and repatriation of Nepali girls. I also went to meet Nepali girls at a government remand home in Delhi.

We had four girls rescued last week, so I was talking to all the children. The police officers were very positive, but one lawyer was acting very "smart" [about not wanting the girls to return home to Nepal]. I said to him: "We are all working for the benefit of the children. So legal things are one part, but when there are girls, you have to send the girls back to their own country. That is all I want." So the whole morning and afternoon, I had been fighting.

I was very excited and thankful to get the news. I have a big family, about 2,000 children and girls. This was a moment for us to cry, hug and remember how we started, what we have gained and where we are today.

Q: What does it mean to you to have been selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel?

Koirala: It means they have given priority to this heinous crime against humanity. We have to fight against this crime and protect the children from this.

Q: What do you want people to know most about the importance of your work?

Koirala: I would like to urge all the human beings around the world: Please close your eyes and imagine these girls are your daughters, and you will feel the pain of being trafficked.

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All About Anuradha Koirala: Mother Teresa of Nepal

• The First Governor of Bagmati Province (rural) of Nepal.
• Koirala began her career as a teacher. She used to teach English to the students at different schools around Kathmandu, Nepal twenty years.
• Her inspiration to start Maiti Nepal: Mother’s Home, NGO began by helping eight women near Pashupatinath Temple. They were affected by Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, knowing their condition, Koirala out of her savings gave Rs 1000 to each of them and asked them to start doing their own business, and gave her 2 Rs each day out of their earnings so that she can help few more. The ladies later sought shelter for their daughters so that they did not become prey to the evil society like them, hence she took two rented rooms to shelter them. Later on, she registered it as an NGO (non-profit government organization) for giving shelter and helping hand to those who don’t have any place to turn to.
• Maiti Nepal serves 12000 women and girls from India and Nepal by opening various rehabilitation centers suffering from human trafficking. 
• She has been awarded 38 National and International Awards for her courageous act.
• Today Maiti Nepal has three prevention homes, eleven transit homes, two hospices, and a Formal School working with all legal forces to protect women from trafficking.
• She joined Nepali Congress Party around 2017.
• On account of the recognition of her efforts Government of Nepal, celebrates September 5 as Anti-Trafficking Day.
• She was also a victim of domestic violence due to which she underwent miscarriage three times and hence she felt the need of Maiti ( Mother’s Home) for other women’s in the same condition.
• The United States government gave a two-year grant of $500,000 (52124000. 00 in Nepali rupees) to Maiti Nepal in April 2010.
• List of activities under Maiti Nepal:

1. Awareness Campaigns about Human Trafficking. 2. Rescue Operations for Women, children living in brothels. 3. Apprehending Traffickers. 4. Providing Legal Support to the Needy. 5. Women Empowerment Programs, training. 6. Women and children affected by HIV Aids, are provided anti-retroviral therapy.

For More Information Visit   Maiti Nepal

Personal Career:

Professional Career:

•  G.O.D. Award. In 2018
•  Padma Shri Awardee 2017, 
•   Mother Teresa Award in 2014
•  Acharya Tulsi Kartritva Puraskar in 2014
•   CNN Heroes Award 2010 in Los Angeles , California .
•  Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award 2007,
•  German UNIFEM Prize 2007, 
•  The Peace Abbey, and Courage of Conscience 2006.
•  Trishakti Patta Award 2002,
•  Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal- Nepal 1999, 
•  Best Social Worker of the Year Award- Nepal 1998.

Donation Details to Maiti Nepal:

(Direct Link)

Funds to be sent to (Via Swift MT103 Message)

Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited Kathmandu, Nepal SWIFT CODE: SCBLNPKA Name Of Beneficiaries: MAITI NEPAL Account No: 01-0184012-10

Correspondence Bank:

Standard Chartered Bank One Madison Avenue New York, NY 10010-3603 Swift Code: SCBLUS33 A/C No: 3582077433001

Remember: Smiles are a great investment, the more you collect, the better you feel.

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Biography of Anuradha Koirala

Anuradha Koirala, lovingly called Dijju (elder sister) was born on 14th April 1949 to Colonel Pratap Singh Gurung and Laxmi Gurung. She was educated at a hill station in Kalimpong, India. It was here that the Mother and Sisters at St. Joseph Convent School further increased her devotion towards social work.

Mother Teresa has always been her largest source of inspiration. She spent more than 20 years teaching children at various schools around Kathmandu. Even though this brought her great satisfaction she realized that she had a bigger personal calling to fulfill. Children, girls and women were being trafficked within and from Nepal for commercial sexual exploitation. Therefore, in 1993, Ms. Koirala founded Maiti Nepal with the aim of providing services for both children and women who have endured untold pain and suffering, often in silence.

After establishing Maiti Nepal, she plunged into the service of humanity. Her first work was setting up a home so that she could provide an abode to those who have nowhere else to turn to. Now, Maiti Nepal has three prevention homes, eleven transit homes, two hospices and a formal school. More than 1000 children are receiving direct services from Maiti Nepal every day. It was all made possible with her firm determination and unprecedented leadership.

Maiti Nepal today conducts a wide range of activities. Organizing awareness campaigns, community sensitization programs, rescue operations, apprehending traffickers, providing legal support to the needy, women empowerment programs, training, providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to children and women infected by HIV are regular activities of Maiti Nepal.

So far, Anuradha Koirala has been awarded 38 national and international awards in recognition of her courageous acts and achievements furthering the cause of children’s and women’s rights. Some of the national and international awards include; Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal- Nepal 1999, Trishaktipatta Award 2002, Best Social Worker of the Year Award- Nepal 1998, German UNIFEM Prize 2007, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award 2007, The Peace Abbey, and Courage of Conscience 2006.

Her achievements include liberating girls from brothels, providing ART before the government of Nepal could initiate this process. Due to her continuous struggle, the Government of Nepal now recognizes 5th September as an anti- trafficking day. Ms. Koirala was also appointed as a former Assistant State Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare as an honor to her contributions.

Ms. Koirala loves spending time with children; they say that they get warmth from mother and father. She is a self-motivated person relishing new and dynamic challenges with a leadership role in a team environment or independently.

In 2010 she was declared as CNN Hero. It was the result of her struggle and compassion to fight the social evil of human trafficking. Her victory as CNN hero is a pride and honor to the nation itself.

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