Newsletter July 2015

In this newsletter you can read the story of Rahul Dhurve, one of the Nav-Jeevan kids. The story is written by de mother of Nav-Jeevan in India, Iris Wilkinson. The story illustrates 12 years Nav-Jeevan, how we started and where we are now. But above it tells about one of our beautiful children Rahul. He got a chance of a new life at Nav-Jeevan.

Rahul Dhurve, by Iris Wilkinson

Iris Wilkinson

Rahul in 2005

Rahul in 2014

Rahul Dhurve was amongst the first set of Raj Nagar Slums children that came to Nav-Jeevan Project. We were working with children who were mostly surviving on begging, stealing or involved in petty illegal activities. We had set up our Project in 'Vali apartment'.

Raj Nagar slums was an easy walking distance from Vali building, children happily walked to the school, at this point we faced an opposition from an unexpected quarters, the residents of the colony, opposed our school in their building, they complained that in the morning these kids will come to study and at night they'll come to steal, they brought the police against us.

Aneeta consulted her lawyer and with his advice we gave the residents a legal assurance that the kids will come straight to the apartment, will not be permitted to go out till school is over and will be transported back to Raj Nagar and Bijli Nagar slums by rickshaw, children's movement was strictly monitored. This whole unfortunate incident reflects people's prejudice and unsympathetic attitude towards slum children.

Our school successfully functioned in Vali Apartment for 5 or 6 months, the residents watching children's discipline became kind towards the kids, appreciated our work. People became friendly, on festivals or special occasions they would distribute sweets or even give full meals.

Rahul Dhurve a 7 or 8 year old boy came from Raj Nagar slum. He was a pleasant child, always seemed to be humming some tune, instead of walking would take dance steps while coming to me! He was very eager to learn, was ambitious, he wanted to become a doctor, said he will treat his entire neighbourhood, free of charge. He himself was physically delicate frequently falling sick but still would come to school, one big attraction for almost all the children was the mid-day meal we gave them, some kids came to us on empty stomach or had eaten nights' left-over 'roti' Indian bread.

Aneeta's house was close by, food was cooked in her place, generally 'dal' rice, vegetable and a fruit Every now and then Aneeta would add something extra to children's lunch, Nav-Jeevan was not just an organization for teaching children reading and writing but it was keeping an eye on their health and nutritional requirements, our hope was a healthy well-cared child will change his thinking and his life-style. Each child would get served, after everyone was served they said a 'thank you' prayer then start eating. After the meal each child was given a banana peel to be thrown in the waste-basket, They had to wash their plate, wipe and stack them. It all sounds simple but took weeks for them to follow the system.

At this level we realized the importance of all-round education, there needs to be a change in their thinking and life-style, they needed 24 hour care. When they came to the hostel they had never seen such clean beds, neat surrounding, and friendly people around them. There were rules that each child had to follow.

Rahul Dhurve was a disciplined boy, he was always interested in his studies, took part in extra-curricular activities. For his mother Meera, hostel was a great boon, it was then she came to my home for a job, her drunkard husband was in jail. He was caught in some robbery and drunken fight. His complaint was he can't get a job. Meera borrowed money from her employer and hired a cycle-rickshaw for him so he could earn money, within a month he sold the rickshaw, used the money for his drink and all the evils that follows alcoholism. Once all the money was finished he came back to her for more when she refused he beat her up and strangled her till she was unconscious, thinking she was dead, he ran away from home. The neighbours came to her rescue, telephoned her relatives in Mandala they took her back to her village for treatment and to get her away from her drunkard husband.

After Meera recovered, she returned with her son Rahul. When it turned out that her husband had sold their cabin and all their accessories, she came to me for a job and a place to live. I needed 24 hour help who would also take care of my sister. Meera was a great help, and she lived in my house. Rahul was the only sane person in his family, always cheerful and interested in his studies. Roshan, the older brother, had already become too much of a victim of the family situation. He was intelligent, could study well, but he was not interested in learning. He smoked and used drugs. At one point, at 9 AM, his father and some other family members brought Roshan to my house, tied with ropes so that he could not run away. I asked them to untie the boy, talked to him and he started coming to the school. Teachers reported that Roshan was intelligent and one of the best in his class. But before long, he ran away with friends.

Surprisingly living in this environment of conflict, Rahul seemed untouched he did well in school exams. would come first or second in class, all his teachers said he is a good student and hardworking before his Final Board exam, he was the only boy studying up to 10pm or 11pm, all by himself in the Library or Dining Room. He would get up early in the morning, go up to the terrace to study, no one was there to disturb him.

His drunkard father is very fond of the boy, whenever out of jail, on Saturdays he visits his son in the hostel with some snacks. Before the final exams, Aneeta and I went to the school hostel to wish the class X students, Rahul came to meet us, while talking his father came with a packet of sweets. One of the most troublesome men, meeting his son, seemed gentle and an affectionate father, a changed man. We wondered how could a drunkard, wife beater be so affectionate and gentle with his son. Rahul loved his Dad, it's surprising what love can do.

High school is like a door opener, into a larger world right up to high school our children live within a family where everything is provided after passing the exam they enter the world alone. Their parents are poor they don't have money nor experience of the world, after class X, then what like Sunil, Rahul too came to me, to open a way further after high school. Our choice was limited, if we admit him in College, the problem would be same. We got Rahul admitted in Prakash Institute, a vocational college, equips the youngsters with skills that guarantee a job.

Rahul had been complaining of a stomach pain, off and on even in the Hostel. But once the pain subsides, it was taken for granted, all is well. But during holidays his pain did not subside, I referred him to my son Raju a surgeon. Raju got him X-rayed and other tests and it was confirmed, the boy has kidney stones. And it required surgery. As usual his father is in jail, his mother works as a maid-servant, in couple of homes and earns just enough to pay rent and support her two sons, The surgery would cost at least Rs 50,000/- , an enormous amount for Meera.

I spoke to my son Raju about it, Raju contacted a hospital, and somehow together they organized the boys' surgery and hospitalization, free of any charge. Rahul's surgery is successful, when college reopened he was still at home recuperating. Prakash Institute people keep enquiring about his recuperation. His mother Meera came to me couple of days back, she said the surgeon has inserted a tube in his system, as soon as it is extracted he will be well enough to go back. Meera couldn't stop thanking my son for saving her son's life.

Rahul is back in the Institute and by God's grace will be ready to face the world in in two years.

The children decorate the wall of the multipurpose hall: dining room, study room, TV room.