DHAKA: When Shikha Akter was abandoned by both parents, her grandparents brought her to Dhaka, about 90 km from their native Shariatpur district, and placed her in a new care facility for children.
Now 16, she has spent most of her life at Happy Home, a shelter run by ActionAid Bangladesh.
“I landed here at Happy Home at the age of 6. Since then, it has become my only address on this earth. It really is a home,” she told Arab News.
“Growing up with so many sisters has been a joyful experience ... We were given the opportunity to study, just like other boys and girls. I don’t feel abandoned.”
The Happy Home program was launched in 2006 to support homeless and marginalized girls aged 6 to 18.
