The Beginning of Identity and Struggle

 In 2004, Sunita Lama made a bold and life-altering decision—she publicly embraced her identity as a transgender woman. It was not just a declaration of self, but a direct challenge to a society that had no place for people like her. That same year, out of necessity and lack of opportunity, she entered the world of sex work. It was never her dream, but rather a survival strategy in a world that shut its doors on her simply because of who she was. The challenges were brutal. She faced constant verbal abuse, public humiliation, sexual harassment, and physical violence—not just from clients or strangers, but from law enforcement itself. Police officers used derogatory slurs like “chhakka” and detained her without reason. There were no laws to protect her identity or profession, no institutions to support her struggle. Yet, despite the overwhelming darkness, Sunita held on to her sense of dignity and decided that if the system wouldn’t protect her, she would fight to change it.

2004–2021 – Healing Through Community Health Work:  

While surviving the brutal realities of street-based sex work, Sunita didn’t stop herself from giving back to the same marginalized communities she belonged to. Over the next 17 years, she dedicated herself to working with health-focused NGOs, primarily in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. As an Outreach Officer, she conducted hundreds of HIV tests, helped HIV-positive clients access treatment, assisted with PREV medication and viral load testing, and even trained new staff in the principles of confidentiality and community-centered care. Her work was not just professional—it was personal. She had lived the stigma, and that made her one of the most empathetic and trusted figures in her community. Her service helped save countless lives and became a quiet form of resistance against the systems that neglected her people.

2006 – A Brutal Turning Point: 

In 2006, Sunita experienced one of the most horrifying moments of her life. She was violently attacked by a group of men solely because she was a transgender woman standing visibly in public. The beating left physical wounds, but it left deeper emotional scars. This hate crime, like so many others before and after, went unpunished. There was no justice, no accountability.

But instead of backing down, Sunita found purpose in her pain. This moment became a turning point—a realization that her community needed a platform of its own. The seed for what would later become Maya Ko Sansar was planted that day. Her dream of a safe, independent organization dedicated to the transgender sex worker community began to take shape in her heart.

2008–2012 – Living a Double Life: Between 2008 and 2012, Sunita lived what she describes as a “double life.” During the day, she continued her NGO work, contributing meaningfully to public health. But by night, she returned to the streets of Thamel, forced to continue sex work to survive. Financial insecurity and rampant discrimination against trans women in the job market made it nearly impossible for her to sustain herself through NGO work alone.

From 9 PM to 4 AM, she faced beatings, mockery, and threats. Clients would often abuse her, while the police offered no protection—in fact, they were frequently the perpetrators of harassment. Society labeled her immoral, accused her of destroying families, and saw her not as a human being, but as a problem.

Yet Sunita stood firm in her truth:

 

“Sex work is work. And every sex worker—transgender, male, or female—deserves respect, safety, and dignity.”

2012–2014 – Makeup, Business, and More Setbacks: 

 In 2012, Sunita attempted to escape the cycle of violence by shifting into formal business. She opened a small hotel, hoping to earn with dignity. Unfortunately, the business failed within two years due to financial instability and lack of institutional support. Refusing to give up, she taught herself makeup artistry. She began offering bridal makeup services, worked on music video sets, and used her skills to help other trans women look and feel beautiful. But discrimination followed her here too. Clients would often refuse to pay her fairly once they learned of her identity, and she was denied the same respect given to others in the field.

Still, she kept going—because every attempt at self-reliance was also an act of resistance.

2014–2021 – Footpath Work and Police Harassment:

In an effort to become self-sufficient, Sunita started selling jeans on the footpath of Ratna Park. She worked hard—buying goods wholesale, selling them late into the evening after her NGO hours. She even held a valid Footpath Trade Union card. But even in this small effort to live with dignity, she was harassed by the police, who claimed vendors were blocking the roads. Her merchandise was stolen, her stalls dismantled, and she faced violence from authorities and passersby alike. With no protection or stability, she still relied on sex work at night to make ends meet. Every day was a battle—not just against poverty, but against a system designed to keep her down.

2020–2021 – COVID Crisis and Compassion:

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sunita, like many others, lost all sources of income. Lockdowns meant no NGO fieldwork, no street sales, and no sex work. She was trapped in isolation, unable to support herself or reach out for help. But even in this desperate time, her compassion didn’t fade. Many transgender women in Kathmandu were evicted or left homeless. Sunita opened her small home and sheltered them—feeding, caring, and protecting them. In that crisis, she became not just a survivor, but a lifeline for her community.

2022 – The Birth of Maya Ko Sansar:

After nearly two decades of vision and struggle, Maya Ko Sansar was officially founded in 2022 with the encouragement of Laxmi Ghalan, President of Mitini Nepal. It became Nepal’s first trans-led organization focused on transgender and male sex workers. The organization gave her dream a name. It became a safe space, a healing home, and a hub for legal education, mental health counseling, and empowerment training. Maya Ko Sansar now stands as a symbol of hope and pride for Nepal’s LGBTIQA+ sex worker community.

2023 – Betrayal and Financial Collapse: In 2023, in an effort to generate income for her organization, Sunita opened a club in Chabahil with four partners. She paid the largest share of rent—NPR 50,000 monthly—and took on significant financial risk. But internal conflict destroyed the venture. One partner demanded their investment back, and another disappeared with all the earnings.

Sunita was devastated—betrayed, financially ruined, and emotionally exhausted. With no other choice, she returned to sex work in Thamel, where survival still waited, but so did violence and fear.

Ongoing Advocacy and Legal Resistance: Sunita has become well-known for her fearless advocacy for sex workers. She regularly visits police stations to speak up when sex workers are arrested without cause. She reminds officers of the Constitution:

Her courage hasn’t come without cost—she has been threatened, detained, and jailed. But she remains unwavering. She continues to fight—not just for herself, but for every marginalized voice in Nepal.

2004–2025 – More Than a Survivor: A Movement: Over the course of two decades, Sunita Lama has experienced:

• Rape and denial of justice

• Verbal abuse from authorities and society

• Public humiliation and rejection

• Deaths of friends without trials

• Business failures and homelessness

• Mental health crises and social isolation

But she has also:

• Saved lives through her health work

• Built shelter for trans women during crises

• Mentored and trained new leaders

• Founded a national-level advocacy organization

• Created a platform for respect and dignity

Her story is not just one of pain—it is one of resilience, vision, and transformation. Through Maya Ko Sansar, she continues to challenge a society that still criminalizes what it refuses to understand.

Final Words: A Living Legacy : Sunita Lama did not choose sex work—society left her no alternative. But she turned that reality into resistance. From the streets of Kathmandu to the establishment of Maya Ko Sansar, her life is a story of purpose rising from pain.

She believes:

 

“Sex work is not a crime. Being trans is not shameful. I am proud of who I am—and I want others to feel proud too.”

Her voice now echoes not just for herself, but for an entire generation of transgender and queer individuals who finally see themselves represented in power, with pride.