Story of Tithi & Sayan

Sitting on the bank of river Ganga, I can clearly see the ray of hope and aspiration in the eyes of Sayan, my cousin brother. While talking about his friends & boarding life, a mischievous grin comes on his face and fades away. This is the grin, unstoppable giggling I used to enjoy ten years’ back running after him. And suddenly those were gone one day! He realized the hard reality of life, the bleakness of his future. I could only see voidness in his eyes & the uneasy blank stares. When his elder sister, Tithi, was only ten, their father passed away all of a sudden. Sayan was still in his mother’s womb waiting to see the daylight. The family had been already struggling with finance and now family’s only earning member is gone. What can you expect from a child to do, whose father died at ten leaving behind a little brother, a mentally unstable, often negligent mother and huge debt in the market? She could have taken some drastic steps or fled away from the home and lost in the oblivion. Their mother used to live on other’s mercy and could not even manage food for them twice in a day. Tithi was forced to stop her education, Sayan was yet to admit to any school. Being elder brother, I can not remain indifferent, I can not see their miseries doing nothing. Today, when I look back I question myself what would have happened if they were not my cousin. Could I see their plight and leave them behind alone and helpless? Can’t we all take care of one or two such children, provide bare minimum support who are suffering and verge of getting lost like my cousins?

 Myself & my wife Sujata made a promise to ourselves that we would give their childhood back, we would give them hope to dream again & cherish their childhood just like other children. First thing we did was to dissociate these two innocent children from their toxic family, even their mother was doing more harm than helping them. We sent them to a safe home, provide all the nutrition they need, all the support for their studies. Today I can see so much confidence in my sister’s eyes. She has graduated with flying colors and currently preparing for government jobs to become an independent lady & contribute back to the society. I am so proud of them and really feel they made me better human being.

I think there are thousands of such children around us who can do the magic with little help and guidance from us. I dream for that day when our society will be more inclusive, more empathetic towards our children, our future!