A MAD mad Story
This was my entry which was written for an online blog contest – we had to weave a story based on the pics…
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“I am Ravi. I am 9 years old. And I want to be a pilot.. a fighter pilot protecting my country..” that’s how I had begun my speech… It was bright sunny day & I could feel my spirits up in the sky.. Life could not have been better..
Life had not always been like this for me… There were times when I didn’t even know why I was still alive.. or why I was even born… There were times when I just wanted to die & get rid of all the earthly troubles.. But it all was to change soon.. Change for the better.. And Here I am now.. standing in front of an audience and talking fluently.
2 years ago.. It was a bright June dawn when it all started.. The morning dew was formed in the windows.. I battled with my laziness to cuddle up under the warm blanket. The cool breeze still danced with the leaves outside. It was a perfect day to sleep late… but then we wud have nothing to eat..
The chillness was threatening to expand its reach into my small cozy room. It was a small room, but nonethless spacious enough for my grandma and my little brother. My mom left lil’ Ishaan onto my arms before bidding goodbye and going to heavenly abode. It was lonesome without her.. But grandma was always like my mom..
Every day I woke up early and went for fishing & then sold it at the nearby market. Rest of the day was filled with small tasks around the village. People said they gave me work only because of my cheerful character… the childish innocence which erupted in me..
My life had always been on the streets… I really wanted to study & become like Dr Abdul Kalaam, but responsibilities of the family weighed me down. I had no time to attend a regular school. I tried to browse through some books on the streets but was not able to grasp much.. My learnings were only from life experiences and through my grandma’s words of wisdom..
My life changed on the day I heard from the priest that “chettans” & “chechis” came to the orphanage near my house to teach them English. They came only in the evenings; spending only 2 hours a day – And that was like perfect for me..
It was a holiday for Ishaan.. so he tagged along with me into the waters in search of fish. Our neighbor Aishu also joined us as we decided to club “business” with “pleasure”. Ripples flew through the waters as we cascade into the depths looking for a good spot. I was always the captain of the “pirate” “ship”. And we threw the net into the waters looking for “gold”. 2 hours later… and an armful of “gold” & hours of sheer enjoyment later… we docked.
Later me & bro proceeded to the market. First drops of monsoon soon fell on my face… drop by drop… trickle by trickle… before the pregnant clouds burst out with the first rains of the season.. It was supposed to be a moment of uncertainty as the villagers ran helter-shelter cursing the abrupt rains. But not for me… I strode on in the rains faithfully protected by my lil’bro.
In the evening, with my 5 rupee notebook and 1 rupee pencil I strode in for my first official lessons. I had taken it from my “fun” fund. What is the point of having fun, if my future is not secure… Studies were serious business.. The chettans and chechi’s greeted me with big smiles… I never knew that learning was so much fun. We learned through games & running and dancing & by playing with the balls. Learning was so much fun. The chettans & chechi’s even took me to the library they had setup. There were so many computers also. I also saw how to “on” the computer and play a game..
It is now almost 2 years since I first the joined the classes. Days are now a routine.. Still earning & helping grandma to walk.. But i now know how to read & talk basic words & sentences – and that had opened a whole new world for me.. Though with difficulty I know how to read the newspaper which was used to cover fish in the market; the posters put by various political parties.. I can even help my lil’bro in his studies.. I finally graduated beyond “Please Sir” & “Thank You Sir”. They also organized fun camps & melas…
These experiences not only bought in knowledge but also a lot of confidence in me.. Confidence in myself.. confidence in the world. Yes… life for me is just starting… life filled with knowledge, joy, life… My eyes were filled with tears of joy as I spoke today…The life ahead waits for me… bringing forward various opportunities..
It was a beautiful world around me and MAD had helped me to see it…
<Make A Difference – MAD is a youth volunteer network comprising of college students and working professionals. We focus on teaching language (English) skills, computer skills & also organize placement melas & help in scholarships for the orphanage/street shelter children. Currently it has brances in Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad.. and soon spreading to Pune, Bangalore & other cities. Check out http://makeadiff.in/blog on more details of MAD>
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