A cow and a bicycle.

How much is your daughter worth? Now I'm single so i know the question isn't nearly as potent for me, but nevertheless it still strikes a nerve. One of the leaders here gave me a biography of a lady named Phoolan Devi- the Al Capone of the 80's here. I will spare you the details, but when she was 11 she was sold for a cow and a bicycle to a 31 year old man as his wife. The journalist writing the book asked her mother the question that comes to everyone's mind "why?" Her mother could only say one line "it is a scary thing what poverty will make you do." See at the time they were in the middle of a land dispute which as farmers was their only source of income. They were hungry, and had no food for their daughter or themselves. Their rational was, sure this man will abuse her, but is that worse than starving to death? They couldn't provide for their daughter, and this man said he would at least feed her.

Can you imagine asking yourself that question? "which is better for my daughter? To give her to a man that will molest her? or let her starve to death?" I cant.

Now for the sake of honesty and clarity, this although much more common here than in the west is not something that everyone goes through. Not every villager is faced with these issues, but many are. I want you to have an accurate picture rather than simply a dramatic one.