Thursday, January 5, 2017

Can I have a drawing board please???

It was a day that will be remembered for ever.

About two days before, I made a call to an orphange and an old age home, to enquire about their needs and wants. A list of items was given and the next day went off in shopping for those items. 

With bags of Diapers, Lactogen tins, biscuits, calcium syrup's, we, a set of four friends, reached our first destination, an orphanage. We were told that the kids taken care of, over there, were aged between just born to 6 year old. 

 Upon reaching, we were greeted with a friendly security who guided us in filling up our details in the entry register and a gate pass was issued. A huge, building with stone compound wall and huge gates, and tiny square windows with iron grills, at a first glance looked highly secured.


As we stepped in we were greeted by the friendly staff and one person inspected all the items we brought for the kids. He gave us a receipt for all those items and accepted them with utmost humbleness. It was sleeping time for kids hence we were asked not to disturb them. The gentleman took us around the building and we were awestruck at the cleanliness with which it was maintained. All the caretakers were females and were having a dress code. The rooms were secured with mosquito net doors and windows. A tiny window was opened for us to peep in and see number of just born babies sleeping innocently in their cradles while the care takers were busy organizing the babies clothes neatly. 

The next room was for slightly elder kids who were also sleeping peacefully. And then the kitchen, the dining room, the TV room and the play area were shown around.

And then the conversation started. He shared the stories, which moved our hearts. A drunken father killed the mom in a fit of rage and was jailed and the only child with no one to take care was shifted here. A girl who was born retarted and bed ridden, was left in the hands of these care takers as the parents couldn’t afford her. Kids born out of illegitimate relations, parents who were so poor that they cannot afford the upbringing….the list is just endless.

But these good Samaritans came together and with the guidelines from government have opened this center and help with basic needs and education for them. Not just this, the team also undertakes the upbringing of kids from the local slum areas in the city. Cases where in the girls as young as 6-8 years who pick up a fallen butt of the beedi and whale away their time to those innocent souls who for the sake of a small sweet, just go with any stranger to where ever they take them to, are handled by this team. They achieved 100% school admission to all such kids and now are tackling the challenge of minimizing the absenteeism from school.

What can you do for them:
1.     Call up the orphanage and find out the list of items required on a given day and take those items for them. (I’m giving the phone numbers at the end of this post)
2.    Contribute money (3k -4k for packaged lunch/breakfast cooked in house. They do not allow any outside food)
3.    Give your time by teaching them basic subjects.
4.    Spend time with slum kids in motivating them to have a better lifestyle and take counseling session for them to become ambitious in life.
5.    Take personality development, career-counseling sessions.
6.    Talk to them about adolescence, health care, feminine hygiene, nutrition etc
7.    Teach them vocational studies like music, instruments etc.
8.    Give your time. They are lonely and alone out there.

The next visit was to an old age home. Here, the visit was with friends & my kids. We were requested to get some teacups and biscuits for the aged. We carried samosa and sweets also and a carom board. While were parking our cars down and looking out for the old age home, we saw an old lady on the fourth floor, looking out of the window from her room. He eyes spoke so many unsaid words. There was a look of loneliness on her face. With a couple of call to caretakers, we were asked to come to backside of the building form where the staircase begins and as escort will be there. On reaching, we found the lift was out of order. So we climbed the four floors and asked our escort as to how the aged people climbed these stairs? “These people don’t need to go out at all” was the reply. It was very disturbing to learn that the rooms in which they live is their entire world.

We were greeted with smiling faces and namaste’s from each and every person in the home. They were more than happy to receive the food. Their hands were shaking and shivering as they held the plates. “ the food is very tasty. We love it. but you don’t have to spend so much for us. Just come often and spend time with us. We love to be loved”. These were the words from almost every individual in the home. A warm hug, a smile and a conversation is all that they wanted.  

There was a lady who was so good at drawing. She showed us all her drawings and was pleased to know we liked her drawings. “ TV 9, filmed a movie on us. Please see that on tube,” she said. As I was about to say bye to her, she nudged on my hand. I bent down and she whispered into my ear “I can do even more good drawings if only I had a drawing table. I manage to draw by keeping the sheets on my lap. It is very difficult” I could’nt stop the tears rolling down my eyes. I assured her a drawing table in my next visit. “ Forget about the table, but please come back again. All I want is to talk to people. Im lonely here with no family. Spend time with us” said she quickly.

With a heavy heart, I moved to the next room. “ Come beta come. This is my private room. I pay 15k a month to have this room. All my kids are settled in USA. There is no one here. So I shifted here as I was alone. The samosa was very tasty. I loved eating.” She managed to tell all in one flow. She held my hand tight while talking and I could sense hands shivering.

The next room had ladies who were bed ridden. They couldn’t move around nor talk. Their eyes spoke everything. They greeted us with smiles. 

Just as we were stepping out, we saw a young lady of about 20+ years. We asked her if she is a care taker. “ No. I stay here with my mom. We are alone in the world. Have no one to take care. I can’t afford a home and I cant leave my mother. So I stay with her here and take care of her and others too.” Said she.

With no more words to say and teary eyed, we moved to the third floor. Hello hello welcome to our home greeted an old man. He gave us a high five. And said “that was super food you got for us thank you.”

“Do you have biscuits? Asked another man. As we handed each one of them packet of biscuits, he held out one more hand seeking another. He was quick to tuck them away under his pillow and felt content with two packets of biscuits. A man lying down on bed, who could hardly move, peeped out from his blanket and said to my friend “ you look like Farook Sheik” every one started smiling and started saying Farook Sheik, Farook Sheik, Farook Sheik!

And when we put the carom board on the bed, their joy knew no bounds. They were clapping their hands with joy and murmured best gift ever, best gift ever. A game of caroms started and the entire gang was busy clapping, encouraging a strike and giving their tips. Time just slipped away.

We bid audio to them with a promise to come back soon.

What you can do?
1.     Spend time with them
2.    Take home cooked food for them and have a lunch or dinner with them

3.    Entertain them

Note:
1.     All pictures sown here are for representation purpose only. These images are from google search and we thank the artists who drew them and I humbly seek their permission for using their pictures here.
2.    The places I described are in Nerul, Navi Mumbai area. I’m sure such homes are there in every area, a google search will give list of such homes in your locality.
3.    The phone numbers and address of these will be provided on a personal request. Please message the author with a request.