Kathmandu, Jan. 13 -- On a cool winter morning, Richa was going through her slides before taking a lunch break. As the fundraising officer for an advocacy organisation, she had a presentation on mental health in the next two hours. It is difficult to imagine that just two years ago, Richa was living on the streets of Kathmandu, mentally ill and homeless.

In 2018, Richa, who asked that she only be identified by her first name for fear of stigmatisation, was rescued from the streets of Jawalakhel by Koshish, an organisation that works with mentally ill homeless people. After being trafficked to India as a child by her step-father, Richa had been rescued, gotten an education and had grown up to work as a tour guide, travelling back and fort...