This is off topic in this blog.
Let’s go back to the days when we were kid. In case it is too much to put strain on your brain, just think of any kid in your family. Let’s assume that you bring a pair of shoes as a part of school uniform. How would the kid react?
They will immediately go and snatch the shoebox from your hand, open it, put on the shoes, run to the mirror to see how it looks on them. Now imagine that you bought a size big for them. I will let you imagine the scene for yourself.
Why am I asking you to imagine all these? Well here is the reason.
As a part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) program in our office, I was dragged by my friend to Navajyothi, a home for children and girls. To tell the truth, I had not donated any money, as I had already donated to other group as a part of CSR activity. The group who had donated and organized this were already enjoying their day with the kids when I reached there. They had organized this activity for 2 days and this was the 2nd day. Few of the associates who could not come today had already come here 2 days back.
As we entered the gate, I was into a new world by itself. The kids were playing with the associates. There were already some drawings done by the kids. On our way here we had collected shoes for the kids from one of the shop near. As the games ended, all the kids were made to sit in a hall. There was a sense of happiness as they looked at the boxes of shoes. It was decided to try out each shoe as per the size requested by the Sisters of this organization. The first box was opened, tried on a girl may be around 6 years of age. She put the shoes and saw it was a size bigger for her. Sister asked her to remove it and go and sit back to her seat. You could see the disappointment on her face as she went back to her seat.
I am sure she must have been thinking that she would not get any new shoes while others were trying the shoes and collecting the box and going back to their seat. I wished I could read her mind to know what was going on in her mind. Had it been any other kid from the family I am sure they would have started to cry for a new shoe & would not have stopped till you promised to buy another pair. Even though disappointed there was not a drop of tear but the smile was still there on her face was. It seemed that they had accepted the fact of their life. I went near her and told her that she will be receiving the shoe with the right size once the shopkeeper exchanges it for right size. The smile from her face had not returned back to her eyes.
The group were already singing songs with one of the colleague playing guitar. As one song ended there was a new request from the kids. They were singing along with our singers. It was as if my mind had blocked itself & all I could hear in my mind was a line from the song by Phil Collins “Another day inParadise”.
Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh Lord, there must be something you can say.
I felt completely helpless. One of our colleagues was just chatting and playing some game with a kid when the other one came around him and asked him a question. The question surprised him.. “Why don’t you talk to me and only to her”? Don’t you like me?
Then another girl asked my friend where the Santosh uncle who had come 2 days back is. She remembered him by his name and I still have not got any names of the kids. My friend, not expecting this question said he will be here again in couple of days but then decided to tell the truth that it will be some time before he comes. Again there was a disappointment in her eyes. She next asked him what Santosh’s birth date was. Now I could see the helpless on my friends face.
We had some food (Samosa) which we were ready to distribute. Sister asked them to get their plates. All the kids ran to collect the plates which were numbered. They took it to the wash basin, washed it and came back with the plates. They must have been really hungry after the games they were playing. Many question were troubling me.. Do they ask for food to the Sisters when they are hungry? Do they ask for some alternate food like biscuits, chips if they don’t like their breakfast/food? Do they have any shoulder to cry on? I didn’t dare to ask these questions to the Sister.
I could see the happy faces all around me, then why was I not happy?
Sister who was managing this home for children had briefed us on where these kids were brought from. There was only one orphan from around 40 kids. Rest all were the kids of the prostitutes from Kamathipura, a red light area, who were bought here by NGO’s. She narrated how few of the kids were given sedatives and put to sleep below the bed when the customers arrived. She then explained about how they provide education to the kids and make them live on their own by finding them a job and a place in society. They also take care of their marriage expenses.
She requested for some donations every month. I had decided there itself that I would be donating whatever I could every month.
I request you all to donate the same to some NGO every month. You can do in online at GiveIndia.org and select the NGO you want to donate too.
In case you want to donate to this home which I had described in this post & if the amount is not too big then you can transfer the fund to my account (however small the amount is will be a valuable gift) and I will add your amount in my check amount. If the amount is big, please send a courier the check to below address (better call them to know the name on which the check is to be made payable to)
“Sisters Adorers,
Marol Maroshi Road,
Andheri (E).
Mumbai 400059,
India.
Ph: 022-2925 9241/9884/9925”.
Additional details:
“ ADORERS CONGREGATION
Reg. No. : 1298/2000 G.B.B.S.D.
Trust Reg. No. F-22465 (Mumbai)”
In case you need a receipt for the same to claim the tax rebate, you can send the check to me and I will hand it over personally and courier you the receipt back.
If anyone stays near here, please do visit this place & feel it yourself.
You can reach me through email sanjaybrao.sanzrao@gmail.com for any more information.
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