A Night With A Family Who Begs And Lives Under A Busy Flyover Junction

“Our incredible experience began in a slum in Kolkata. We spent a night on the road along with a family who begs and lives under a busy flyover junction. We ate, slept, talked, played and made fun of each other. While listening to the family’s daily ordeal my friend and I went through a lot of emotions – anger, happiness, helplessness. The children are letting go of their dreams while parents neglect their duties towards their children due to ignorance.

For the first time in my life, I have experienced how a woman feels if there is no toilet nearby. I relieved myself near a drain where other girls in the slum usually do. We slept under the flyover. I never thought I would sleep on the side of the road. Vehicles zoomed past us at dangerous speeds throughout the night, sometimes very close to the pavement. To make things scarier, I saw few drunk men who slept at a distance from where we were sleeping. The family allayed my fears and assured me that I was safe.

Sleeping on a street in Kolkata gave me a different view of my city. This experience made me see the vulnerable situation these people were living in, while also teaching me to be mentally strong.

We also spent a lot of time speaking with the girls. They were sad that their parents saw them as liabilities and more mouths to feed. They also felt bad that their parents got drunk and beat them. They aspired for great things and wanted to study but could not do anything about it because of their parents’ ignorance and poverty.

The next morning we had a conversation with the parents and convinced them that we would help the kids secure admission in the school nearby. We went to a girls’ school and enquired about the admission procedure and informed the parents about it.

We were glad to see that after few days the girls got admission in the school closeby.

The experience was an eye-opener for my friend and me. We also made good friends and created a good bond with the people there. We were sad, as were they when it was time for us to leave.”

Shared by: Ankita Sengupta and Sourav Majumder, from Prantakatha.

About Prantakatha:

Prantakatha – marginal lives, magnificent stories, is a youth development space which empowers youth through stories. Prantakatha provides space which is non-judgemental where they can share their pain and transform it into power and help them to enter the mainstream community.

About Samvidhan LIVE – The Jagrik Project

Com-Mutiny – The Youth Collective’s latest public initiative, Samvidhan LIVE – The Jagrik Project, will build young people’s capacities for meeting this challenge as they refl-act (reflect+act) in the real world. Using their experiential discoveries provided by a fun-filled game, played over six weeks in their neighbourhoods and cities, our young Jagriks will develop a Jagrik report card (the citizens’ performance rating on keeping the Samvidhan alive), as well as recommendations which they will share through nationwide public events. These will also be shared with Governors’ and President’s offices, with activists, civil society representatives, media practitioners, policy makers and politicians.

With #MySocialResponsibility, we aim to bring you more inspiring stories of individuals and organisations across the globe. If you also know about any changemakers, share their story at [email protected] and we'll spread the word.

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Partner Story

True Hero: Meet Sunil Mishra, An Auto-driver Who Has Been Saving Lives With His Auto!

Propelled by

Neurobion Forte

True heroes are not known for their extraordinary powers, they are known for their extraordinary acts. Sunil Mishra is one of such heroes. For you and me, at the first look, he would appear as just another autowallah on the streets of Mumbai. However, if one were to ask people living in the slum of Ambujwadi, Sunil is no less than a ray of hope.

Mishra moved to Mumbai from his village in Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh when he was just ten years old. He went on to study at a local government school, however, he failed his 12th exam. Because of this, he had to take up the profession of an autorickshaw driver.

He has been living in the Ambujwadi slum from last 11 years now. He is barely able to meet the needs and necessities of his own family of four which includes him, his wife and two young children. Most of his salary goes in providing quality education to his kids. And the rest of which is remaining, he sends it to his parents who are living in UP. In fact, it was not until a few years back that he could afford to buy his own auto rickshaw, EMI of which he is still paying.

All this has not stopped Mishra to work tirelessly for ending the sufferings of those living in his locality. As they say, you don’t need big pockets, but a big heart to help another human, Mishra has been proving just that. The Ambujwadi slum is located in such a way that entry of large vehicles like ambulances inside it is restricted. Recognising this problem, Mishra has made sure that no ailing person is denied access to hospital and medical facility, just because of this problem.

From 2007, Mishra has managed to help many people in the slums by providing ambulance-like services with his auto. He understands the pain of seeing loved ones suffer. He recalls an incident where his own mother fell off a bike which severely injured her. Fortunately, she was taken to the hospital where she gradually recovered. It was then when Mishra pledged that he would do everything in his capacity to help anybody in such a situation. He says, “People sometimes come knocking at my door at midnight, asking for my help and I could not refuse them.”

#HelpingTrueHeroes | Mr. Sunil Mishra

A true hero is one who goes beyond his/her limitations and helps those in need. Sunil Mishra is one such person. An autowallah by profession who is embroiled in his own struggle to make his ends meet leaves no chance to help anybody who is in need. A true hero who drives his auto as a vehicle of life to help others reach the hospital on time.#HelpingTrueHeroes

Posted by The Logical Indian on Monday, September 10, 2018

Not only this, he even offers free rides to differently-abled persons. “If I see any differently-abled people, I stop to ask them where they are going. If it’s within 1.5 km, I drop them for free,” he says.

Recognising his noble deed, Neurobion Forte, living up to their motto of #HelpingTrueHero has recognized Sunil Mishra as one of the heroes for his selfless service to society.

The Logical Indian truly salutes Sunil Mishra and also commends Neurobion Forte for encouraging such people. We hope that Mishra’s story inspires many others.