MP: How daughters and One Stop Center Sakhi in Datia brought family back together a decade after divorce?
Datia: The 'One Stop Centre' (Sakhi) initiative, operating in Madhya Pradesh to secure justice for women in distress, victims, and the helpless, is proving to be a milestone. One such remarkable and heartwarming case has emerged from the Datia district, where a family was reunited through the efforts of the One Stop Centre, ten years after a legal divorce. This initiative not only restored the father's presence in the lives of two young daughters but also brought happiness back into a broken marital relationship.
Elderly father somehow supported his daughter and two granddaughters
This is the story of 36-year-old Urmila (name changed), a resident of Datia. Following a court-ordered divorce ten years ago, Urmila had been living at her parental home with her two young daughters. Her elderly father was somehow supporting his daughter and two granddaughters by working as a laborer; despite financial hardship, he ensured the girls attended a good school. However, rising costs and his advancing age eventually made it impossible for him to bear the family's expenses.
Seeing her daughters' uncertain future, Urmila gathered the courage to submit a formal complaint seeking justice during the Datia Collector's public grievance hearing.
Assistance from the One Stop Centre
This sensitive case was immediately referred to the 'One Stop Centre' through Arvind Kumar Upadhyay, the District Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department, Datia. When Urmila was called to the centre for counseling, the pain of the past decade and anxiety about the future spilled over in her tears.
Her primary concern was whether her ex-husband would accept her and the children after so many years of separation. Ms.\ Reena Gautam, the Administrator of the One Stop Centre, reassured Urmila and pledged unwavering support to help her secure her rights.
Counseling Prevails Over Legal Complexities
With the help of an Anganwadi worker, the One Stop Centre team invited Urmila’s husband and his family members to their office. During the counseling session, the husband produced legal documents regarding a divorce that had taken place ten years ago. While the relationship had legally ended, the human aspect remained to be addressed.
Instead of adopting a rigid legal stance, department officials and the One Stop Centre team conducted a joint counseling session with great sensitivity. They made the husband and his family realize the importance of the daughters' maintenance, education, and secure future.
Faces Lit Up, Happiness Returned
The impact of this extensive counseling and compassionate guidance was that the hearts of the husband and his brothers softened. The husband not only agreed to set aside the past divorce and accept Urmila as his wife again but also willingly consented to shoulder the full responsibility for the education and upbringing of both daughters.
Urmila, who had been living a life of despair for a decade, saw her face light up with a new ray of hope. The family, which had once been legally separated, left the One Stop Centre office happily, holding hands as they headed home. With teary eyes, Urmila expressed her gratitude to the Datia administration and the One Stop Centre.