For her work towards stopping human trafficking and sex slavery, Anuradha Koirala won the CNN Hero of the year 2010. All the heroes receive $25, 000 for continuing their work, but the winner receives additional $100, 000. Anuradha Koirala plans to contribute the amount towards establishing hospitals for women and children in Nepal.
Anuradha Koirala won the award and she says that the award increases her responsibility even more in stopping the crime. Small children get lured and kidnapped to bigger cities and get forced in to prostitution and sex workers. The crime has roots in many parts of the world. The children or the younger women get traumatized with the incidents. Often, they end with HIV positive, AIDS, STDs, lost limbs, mental depression, and other problems. The kidnappers abandon these workers once they get ill.
Anuradha Koirala and her group in Nepal help these suffering people to regain their lives. The rape victims and sex trafficking survivors are rescued by Anuradha’s group and brought back to the shelter. She teaches the rescued girls and women arts, crafts, sewing and any work they are interested. ‘Maiti Nepal’ helps the children to get hope back to life and adapt to normal life again.
The awards were announced on Thanksgiving night in California. The show was hosted by Anderson Cooper! and the performances included Bon Jovi, John Legend, and Sugarland among other celebrities. CNN Heroes walked the red carpet and received a standing ovation from the audience.