My Experience with Mobile Crèches
It was Wednesday
afternoon. I was alone at home just playing with the remote. I was
quite bored with the TV shows, but I had to do something to pass the
next three hours till Nishant (my friend) came. While I was swapping
channels, dad entered the room with mom. They both were loaded with a
bunch of bags.
Omax
Plaza,
our car took a left turn and we found ourselves on a dusty road. There
was a lot of dust everywhere. When I looked around, the very first
thought that came to my mind was that this was the best place to shoot
I noticed that Dad was angry. He started off with his usual refrain, 'Nowadays children don't care for their parents and...". I moved forward and took two bags in my hand. Dad was still talking to himself, "We should teach them a lesson... They just want money. They don't have." . Then turning towards mom, he said, "Indu I stopped just because of you, otherwise I would have caught them". I did not understand what was wrong with Dad. I looked at Mom. She then narrated the whole story. Dad was buying vegetables on
"Forget about it Dad," I said, "That girl must be in need."
"What need?" he asked. "Her brother could be hungry or she must not have had food since yesterday" I answered. "I am telling you, they don't want to work and just want easy money", he said."She is just a child, how can she work? Moreover, Rs.10 is not a big amount for us", I explained.
"If she was in such need, she should have asked me for it. Why did she snatch the note from me?" This time his voice was harsh. But I was also prepared and quickly replied, "Dad, I know you very well. I am sure you would not have given the money if she would have asked you for that". Now he lost his temper and said, "You are my son and why are you taking that girl's side?" and he went into his bedroom. I was eager to answer that question, but I saw my mom and restrained myself. She was coming from the kitchen with vegetables in one hand and a knife in another. She sat near the dining table and started chopping the vegetables. "Beta, you have come here after three long months, you know your father well, then why do you argue with him?" she said without looking towards me."But mom." I wanted to say something, but I preferred to keep silent because I did not want to start another argument. She continued, "I am observing you since you have come from Gurgaon. You have changed".
I pushed myself back on a chair, took a deep breath, contemplating what mom had just said, "Yes I had changed". I pondered a while thinking what initiated the change, and pat came the answer. I have changed since I started visiting Mobile Crèche. One day MunishAs usual, I did not have any plan for that Saturday. So, while leaving in the evening, I told Munish that I would join him. On the same night, I asked my room mate Anil about his plan for Saturday.
"Nothing much", he said.
"Then we will haveMeanwhile, Rajesh started explaining to us the whole concept of MC. MC is an NGO which works for children of construction workers. It is located in a slum where all construction workers live. As the workers just move from one site to another, the life of these workers and their children is not stable. MC has set up a child care center cum school (Aanganwadi) for these children. Children between the age group of 2 months to 13-14 years remain in the center till their parents return home in the evening. As soon as we entered the crèche, the children started shouting, "Bhaiya aa gaye" "Namaste Bhaiya". They looked so enthusiastic and happy. After the initial introduction, we divided children into small groups. I got five children. I first asked their names, what they liked, what they had learned so far, etc. Then I decided to teach them the English alphabets. While teaching, I just asked them, "Ice-cream kaisi hoti hai, khatii ya mithi?" I was surprised with Ramnaresh's answer,"Bhaiya thandi hoti hai". "Out of the box thinking", I thought to myself and smiled. We don't realise how differently children can think.
On my second visit to MC, most of the kids called me by my name. I was shocked. Once you meet them, interact with them, they never forget you. Last week, when Deepak was not with us, four children came to me and asked, "Aaj Deepak Bhaiya kyun nahi aaye"? Today, Mobile Crèches has become a part of my life. Every Saturday, I go there to meet my smart little friends and enjoy with them. There is a strong bond between us. Last month, we convinced our smart little friends, and admitted thirty-three of them in a nearby primary school. Admitting thirty-three children in school at one go seemed like a big achievement for us. These children are regularly attending their new school. Now they are ready to learn, and want to do something in life to change their fate. Once we visited their new school on Saturday and gave them a surprise. When they saw us at their school gate, they started running towards us with their usual cheer, "Bhaiya aa gaye". Wasim, Vidyanand, Ramnaresh gathered around me saying "Bhaiya aap hamein yahan bhi aa ke padhaya karo." They were showing their notebooks to me and telling me what they learned in their new school. We played with them and had a lot of fun... that is one day I can never forget! Though we have admitted thirty-three children in the primary school, we have greater responsibility now - there are still ten to fifteen students who are not ready to attend school, most of them girls. Even children, who are going to school, need to be motivated time and again and also require financial support because the condition in which they are living is not in favour of education. In the long term, we want to make them independent and we are struggling to find a solution for that. We are really concerned about what will happen when they shift to another construction site? Will students like Ramnaresh who are really intelligent ever complete their education? Will their parents support them for education or force them to do the same work that they have been doing for generations? Or after a few years, I will find myself teaching junior Ramnaresh in another Mobile Crèche? In the 21st century, when people are busy with their laptops and mobiles, these children really need to fight for their basic education. How many generations will they take to enter the age of information and technology? We have now decided to interact with their parents to create greater awareness among them about the need for education. We need to make them understand that education is the only thing which can change their fate. Once their parents start supporting their children's education, half of the problem will be solved. This is a huge task for us. I don't know whether we will succeed or not. I can't look into the future, but I can work in the present. Every Saturday we will meet my smart little friends, teach them, play with them, and make them realise that their life is also valuable and that way have
- Sachin Tiwale
