Today, we live in a world which is rapidly changing and all of us are striving only to become a part of the rat race. This change has almost made us forget about those who are not even competing, those who are struggling not to fulfil their dreams and ambitions but to survive, each day, with almost no resources. Luxuries are not even something that is there even in their wildest imagination. They are the children without homes, having dreams for them is like a waste.
Shankar, all of six years old, lives in Tambapura, Maharashtra, gets up at 4 AM in the morning and rushes to the dumping ground to gather âvaluableâ waste. He returns to his basti (locality) three hours later, hands & feet bruised and bleeding from the sharp objects in the dumping ground. Now he has an apology for a bath, a cup of tea with yesterdayâs roti for breakfast and then he is free to gallivant with other basti children, playing, eating whatever possible and occasionally smoking a puff of discarded beedi.
Pan over to Ishan, also six-year-old, gently woken up by his doting father and carried on his loving shoulders to the bathroom. After a leisurely shower, breakfast of fruit juice, boiled egg and milk, Ishan goes to school in his school bus, returns at 3, plays video games, watches TV, plays with his friends, studies for an hour and is tucked in a soft bed after a nice dinner and a bedtime story.
Note the difference
Shankar and many such children are destined to a life full of destitute and no future just because he was born to a different set of parents than Ishan, who will soon be an engineer or a doctor or a pilot or a bank officer.
The children who have forgotten to dream are having their dreams rekindled by Vardhishnu
Shankar and many such children come home with bruises and cuts and nobody to care about it, he doesnât have a bed for a good nightâs sleep. All he dreams and yearns for is one more day of survival. Garbage is gold to him. It is his daily bread and all the while, he yearns for a roof over his head even if it is a leaking roof.
Should we leave Shankar and such children to his fate or should we transform his destiny?
To create hope for children like Shankar, organisations like Vardhishnu are striving to create a safe space for these children to build their own castle of dreams. They aspire to create an eco-system where every child gets access to an education that will empower their future and secure the precious years of their childhood.
Adwait with the children of Anandghar The Personal Journey Of The Two Entrepreneurs
Vardhishnu is the story of Adwait Dandwade and Pranali Sisodiya of learning how we as individuals and the system can actually make an impact in the lives of such children who lack crucial privileges only because of their birth in an economically disadvantaged section of society.
Adwait did his graduation from Jalgaon and simultaneously pursued Company Secretary. After clearing 2 stages, doing an internship in Pune, he started looking forward to a corporate job. All this time, he was feeling that he was going far away from the values that he espoused and ultimately falling into the rat trap.
âIn the year 2010, I finally left the job. From 2010-13, I travelled to different areas of Maharashtra with an intention to understand the rural and tribal Maharashtra. During my journey, I got an opportunity to be a part of NIRMAN, an educational process started by Padmashree Dr Abhay Bang based on Nai Taleem. NIRMAN identifies and nurtures the youth who wants to use their knowledge and skills to solve social problems in Gadchiroliâ; says Adwait.
It was during this time that Adwait met his future partner, Pranali. They got married in 2013 and decided to settle down in Jalgaon.
Pranali and Adwait
Vardhishnu was initiated in 2013 and, rather than a traditional emotional appeal, it was based on an evidence-based understanding of reality and thorough on the ground primary research. Vardhishnu initiated the first cause â working to restore the dignity of waste pickers. Early morning or late night they collect garbage and sell it further to earn their living.
âAll of us want a clean city but hardly anyone is concerned about those who clean it â the adverse conditions they work in, stench, safety, hygiene. And thatâs the ironyâ; says Pranali.
The Reality Check And The Magnitude Of The Problem By Objective Research
Vardhishnu did a socio-economic analysis of waste pickers. Their team spoke to 400 waste pickers and were shocked by the fact that the youngest was 5 years and oldest 70 years. Vardhishnu also tried to understand which place they are coming from, where they live, educational status, health and hygiene, common health issues, government schemes, children deliveries, addiction, how much money spent etc.
The results were deplorable and heart-wrenching Out of 400 waste-pickers surveyed, 125 children were between the age group of 5-14. 90% …
