THERE’S A LOT WE ALL CAN DO!!

We both grew up in the same slum area near Mumbai International Airport. We went to the same government school till 6std. We weren’t really friends.

I continued till I was done with 10th. For 11th and 12th, I moved to a CBSE school 2 hours away from the slums. I spent 4 hours of my day in the ladies compartment of the local train.

I was forced to quit school and do house work. I had failed 5th twice. My parents considered me good for nothing.

My parents encouraged me to study harder everyday. I felt very bad that they had to pay 20% of my fees. The rest was taken up by kind NGOs.

I started working not only in my house but other houses too. A very famous actor in Mumbai gave me a job at his farm house. I was officially a baai then.

I studied very hard for my boards and then for my entrance exams.

I cooked, cleaned and took care of the little ones (not only the actor’s, but also my numerous siblings).

I was 18, got into IIT Mumbai, Computer Science branch. My parents were very proud of me.

My uncle convinced my parents that I was too old to remain single in the slums. I was soon to wed a 40 year old man.

I worked my way up, got a big job. I and my parents shifted out of the slums.

My husband got bored of me in four years. He sold me out for Rs.8000 in Hyderabad. My parents thought my husband got a job abroad and found me one too.

I enjoyed with my friends and parents for a few years. Like they say work hard, party harder. I actually had the money to do the 2nd half. I found nice young man and we got married.

I danced, smoked, drank and did my “job”. I earned enough to satisfy the people who kept me “safe and happy”.

I was on a business trip to Hyderabad.

I tried to break out.

We bumped into each other. She burst into tears after what she had told me and what I had told her. I could have been her or she could have been me. She said, “You are really ambitious and hardworking. You deserve it all.” Well, I told her what she said was true but I got a lot of help to make it true which I hadn’t mentioned earlier. I was a sharp girl but it had something always to keep me sharp. From 6th, I got free tutions from a bunch of girls staying at a PG. My mother worked there as a cook. Later they found me NGOs financed which my studies and the girls who thought I was a great kid didn’t hesitate to make their contribution by providing with the necessary books and study material. There’s a lot of effort put in by a lot of people. These girls also helped my parents understand how important education was. They let me go ahead with it. It is true that I deserve it all, but the complete truth is everyone deserves education.” We hugged and I took her back to Mumbai with me.

I live with my big happy family, my parents, my husband, his parents, and our kids. I take tutions for kids in the slums every weekend.

I have learnt to read, write and speak English. I have adopted a child and work at a garment factory. My child goes to a private school.


Try and educate kids around you who can’t afford it. If you have a cook, a laundry person, a watchman or any other persons whose kids need tutions, offer a little bit of your time. Every kid has the potential to go a long way. Education is the only way to eradicate poverty and terrorism and lower corruption!