She faced years of abuse after arriving in Canada as a teenage bride in a hastily arranged marriage, but nothing could stop Samra Zafar from pursuing her dreams At 15, Samra Zafar had big dreams for herself. She was going to go to university, and forge her own path. Then with almost no warning, those dreams were pulled away from her when she was suddenly married to a stranger at 17 and had to leave behind her family in Pakistan to move to Canada. Her new husband and his family promised that the marriage and the move would be a fulfillment of her dream, not a betrayal of it. But as the walls of their home slowly became a prison, Samra realized the promises were empty ones. Desperate to get out, and refusing to give up, she hatched an escape plan for herself and her two daughters. Somehow she found the strength to not only build a new future, but to walk away from her past, ignoring the pleas of her family and risking cultural isolation by divorcing her husband. A Good Wife tell her harrowing and inspiring story, following her from a young girl with big dreams, through finding strength in the face of oppression and then finally battling through to empowerment. Reviews and Endorsements: “Whether you are trying to escape a life you never chose or the one you did, Samra’s resolve and ingenuity will inspire you to honor every flicker of longing for freedom.” — Shauna Singh Baldwin, author of The Tiger Claw and The Selector of Soul “I cried while reading this book, but I was also left in awe of Samra Zafar’s epic grit and bravery. Her story will stay with you long after the last hope-filled page is turned.” — Lisa Gabriele, author of the bestselling novel The Winters About the Author: Samra Zafar is an international speaker, human rights activist, scholar, author and social entrepreneur. She also serves as a Governor for the University of Toronto, is pursuing a rewarding corporate career, and runs Brave Beginnings, the non-profit organization she founded to support abuse survivors in their journey to build a life of respect and freedom. Her free time is dedicated to her two beautiful daughters and her passion for empowering others through her advocacy and non-profit work. |