A man teaching underprivileged children has earned the respect of the Internet.
A Delhi-based man who taught underprivileged children for free has earned the respect and goodwill of the internet after his story was published on the popular page ‘Humans of Bombay’. In the post, the man revealed that he grew up working as a child laborer, but prefers to go to school. His father was a farmer, and he was asked to work in the fields from primary school, but this did not stop him from getting an education. Instead, he would cycle 30 kms every day to reach the school. “I would save a portion of what I did to pay my high school fees—I was the first person in my family to finish high school,” he said.
The man, who is not named, said he had dreamed of going to college and even took admission, but dropped out when his father fell ill. “When he recovered, I had no savings to study again. My dream of becoming an engineer was shattered,” he said.
At the age of 20, he moved to Delhi, where he made a living doing odd jobs – selling watermelons to work on construction sites.
“I did every little thing that came my way and saved every penny. Over time, I was able to start a small grocery store,” he said.
It was at that time when metro construction sites were being built everywhere in Delhi. In 2006, the man had gone to the banks of the Yamuna to see the construction work being done. Then he saw the children of some laborers begging and asked them why they were not in school.
“When I spoke to him he told me, ‘Our parents can’t send us to school. That’s why we are begging.’ My heart sank,” he said.
Remembering his childhood working as a labourer, the man decided to buy textbooks for the children and started teaching some of them. Word of his classes soon spread and more children started coming to him. “It inspired me, so I decided to build a makeshift school under the station’s bridge to provide free education,” he said.
The man outfitted his school with basic necessities – a blackboard, a banner declaring “free school”, carpets for students to sit on. Within a year, he was teaching around 300 slum children.
“With my savings, I bought textbooks and stationery for all my students. After giving them basic education, I will help them get admission in government schools,” he said. The biggest reward for him is seeing his students do well.
“Once, when a child of a rag picker whom I taught came up to me and said, ‘Sir, I have been accepted into the engineering college!’ I cried. I told him, ‘You’re making my dream come true!'” the man recalled. “There is nothing greater than the spirit of my alumni to return and encourage children to choose education! They tell them, ‘If education can change our lives, so can yours!'”
Since being shared yesterday, the Facebook post has racked up over 12,000 ‘likes’ and over 500 comments.
One Facebook user wrote, “One of the best stories I’ve ever read! Congratulations and blessings from Trinidad & Tobago.”
“You’re doing an extraordinary job! More power to you and all the volunteers helping you with this lovely work!” Another wrote.
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