Is what Rousseau termed childhood. The phrase will seem like a truism once one reads of these destitute kids who manage to revel in life, in spite of the hard and demanding experiences it showers on them. A report by Team ADC...
For him ‘Bal Diwas’ is news!
ON a day when every privileged child is made to feel important in some way or another, those like Mangesh only end up fulfilling their ‘important duties’, without even knowing their worth. And unlike other children they are not even looking forward to be wished ‘Happy Children’s Day’ because their circumstances never lets them know how happy it is to be a child.
When Mangesh, a small boy observed to be selling accessories in the train last weekend was asked about ‘Bal Diwas’, he appeared clueless. In fact, when he was requested for a picture, he said ‘Aap mujhe police ke pass to nahi le jaoge (Hope you are planning to take me to the police!)’
It was only after repeated pleading and reassurances that Mangesh, (who did not even reveal his age) started answering in monosyllables. While there is no doubt that he is a child, his maturity to follow instructions, probably given to his by his family, belie his age.
Most kids, including this boy in the picture are good at their job and manage to earn somewhere around Rs.300-400 every day. These otherwise confident souls who easily travel alone and earn money at their tender age look sorrowful when prodded about their background.
Mangesh’s story is simple. He studies in Solapur and stays with his relatives, while his mother and his younger sibling stay with their maternal uncle in the city.
Mangesh’s mother sells accessories in the train and to help the sole bread winner of the family, this boy, who is presently on a vacation, is assisting his mother.
Highly suspicious while answering each question, the child reveals that he aspires to be a Principal when he grows up.
While buying accessories from such children is not advisable as it makes them believe they are good at the job, and should continue down the same path, in Mangesh’s case, it was only when a ring was purchased did he smile like kids do on Children’s Day.
Sheltering tomorrow
THERE are many whose life has changed thanks to the education initiative of Shelter, Don Bosco. Atish Bagul is one of them. The 15-year-old shelter inhabitant has lofty ambitions. He wants to become an Accountant and wants to work in Bank of India. “I can serve in the banking industry,” he says idealistically, but adds that he actually loves the thought of getting educated in a Don Bosco School. The twinkle in his eye says it all.
Being an orphan and estranged from his near and dear ones, he managed to complete his education until class 9 from Navjuvan Vidya Mandir School in Kalyan. “The life on the streets seems very scary,” he confesses. His friends led him to Shelter Don Bosco and today he studies in Shree Wadala Estate School to complete his standard 10. Shelter provides him everything from uniforms to books and pens… and the opportunity to dream big.
Shelter celebrated Children’s Day and Diwali Mela and he enjoyed interacting with the counselling staff and the career guidance cell and especially to see the actors and the actresses. He grins and says, “God takes care of everyone.”
Shelter resident Kailash Masor is among those children who entered this place with the sole ambition of studying. The 16-year-old child from Nalasopara, now studies in the Dayanad School at Matunga. He is an orphan and has been on the streets. Kailash was a tea vendor near Mahim station, but was never paid for the work he had done for the past six years. However, he is grateful to his master for having sent him to school. He managed to complete his school till Std VII.
Kailash wants to be a DJ and loves music. He says, he enjoyed the Shelter Mela where nearly 3,000 children from the streets came to witness and change their lives.