BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
On a bus winding through Kerala’s misty hills, 15 women sing softly together, their voices rising above the tea plantations. For many, it’s the first time they’ve felt this light in years. They aren’t here for sightseeing. They’re here for healing.
This is India’s first “divorce camp,” a retreat founded by 31-year-old Rafia Afi to help women who are divorced, separated, widowed, or struggling in toxic marriages. “The idea is to normalize divorce and give it dignity,” Afi explains. “Divorce can be beautiful too, when two people decide they do not want to be together.”
From silence to solidarity
Afi knows the weight of stigma firsthand. After her own divorce, she began sharing her healing journey and single-parenting stories online. “Many people connected with that and began messaging me,” she recalls. “It was disturbing to realize not everyone had the support system I did. Most of them faced judgment and couldn’t speak up.”
That realization inspired Break Free Stories, a series of nature-themed weekend camps across Kerala. For a modest fee (or sometimes free for those who can’t afford it) 15 to 20 women gather for games, hikes, music, and storytelling. The aim is simple yet profound: to build a safe space where strangers become friends, and shame transforms into strength.
“Once the women feel comfortable with each other, we have storytelling sessions and healing conversations,” Afi says. “By the end of the camp, the women reclaim their stories.”
Healing through music, law, and laughter
Zaki J, a musician and lawyer, first joined to lead music sessions. But she soon found many participants needed legal guidance, most especially survivors of domestic violence. “I started conducting legal sessions to bridge that gap,” she explains. “The objective is to break societal norms around gender abuse and educate every woman on her rights.”
Her advocacy is personal. “My mother died at the hands of my father. That pushed me to become an advocate,” she says. Today, she uses her voice to ensure others can take “the right step at the right time.”
Why it matters
The urgency couldn’t be clearer. According to India’s National Family Health Survey, 32 percent of married women aged 18 to 49 report domestic violence. Yet cultural norms still pressure many to stay in harmful marriages. “Too many people see separation as shameful, choosing death over divorce,” Afi warns. “Society romanticizes silent suffering and that’s dangerous—I want to change that narrative.”
Participants say the retreats are life-changing. Surya Kalarikkal describes her divorce as traumatic until the camp helped her release years of bottled-up emotions. “We cried, we laughed, and I let out all my emotions for the first time in 15 years,” she says. “We realized divorce can be freeing.”
Another attendee, Shifna, found sisterhood and understanding through listening to other people’s stories. “Earlier, I was gloomy and depressed. Now I feel motivated to move forward. Within a day, we became like sisters,” she shares.
The ripple effect
The demand for Break Free Stories is growing rapidly. Afi plans to expand the retreats to cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, and she’s creating more English-language content to reach wider audiences.
For her, every hug, every thank-you note, and every lasting friendship between participants reinforces the mission. “Divorce is not an end, it’s a beginning,” she says. “That’s the message I want to share.”
If you are in the United States and experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for 24/7 confidential support.
In India, you can reach the national women’s helpline at 181 or contact the Aks Foundation crisis line at +91 87930 88814 and aksfoundation.org.
If you are outside the US or India, visit www.befrienders.org to find international hotlines and support resources in your country.
