Mother is one person who means the whole universe in itself. Without a mother even the strongest person would be shattered. A mother nurtures her child, instill good manners and guide us in the journey called life. Mothers are omnipresent in our hard times and treat us dearer than anything else in this planet. Mother’s love is selfless and without her love life would be incomplete for everyone. Here are some stories of brave mothers who are special in their own way.
7-years-old Mukesh studies in Grade 2 at Mission Education centre – Lepakshi in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
‘I used to feed him water as dinner. I had no option. His father left us when he was just 1-year-old. Since I was unable to pay the rent, our landlord kicked us out. With such tiny baby in my arms, I had no place to go. We spent nights at the railway station and bus stand. I still remember that sometimes, the stray dogs would chase us away. We felt lucky on the days when people offered us food outside temples. It was painful when I could not protect him from scorching sun and stormy rains. He would often catch cold and fever, but I had no means to get him treated. He learned to heal on his own. I felt that the mother inside me failed to do justice to my child. It was then that one of the women visiting the temple offered me to work as a maid in her house. I felt life knocking at my door. I could do anything to keep my innocent child surviving. He’s all grown up today. Seeing him happy, I too have forgotten the pain. And yes, I have not failed as a Mother.’
– Sarala (Mukesh’s Mother)
We feel happy to provide doorstep healthcare to Tara Devi and her loved ones through Smile on Wheels in the slum clusters of Gurgaon.
‘My husband is an alcoholic. He beats me almost every day. And sometimes – in front of our son too. When he stopped working, we didn’t have food to eat for days. I had to beg for food from our neighbours, so that my child didn’t have to sleep empty stomach. The entire responsibility to earn a three-time meal fell on my shoulders. Working as a maid in others’ houses was the only option left. But I had to keep my child surviving. He is the only hope that keeps me alive. All my mental and physical pain will fade away once my child will succeed in life.’
– Tara
Seema was identified and trained on employability skills under Smile Foundation’s livelihood programme – STeP and placed as a teacher in Mumbai
‘Respect’ is the most important thing in a human’s life. My father did all kind of small jobs in his life to survive with his family. Sometimes he worked as a labour on construction sites, sometimes he worked on small shops as a helper, and sometimes he did loading and unloading of goods in factories. He was bound to respect everyone – those who were older than him and also those who were very younger than him. On the other hand people insulted him for being uneducated and poor. Despite the hard struggles, my father ensured that I and all my sisters get an education. He says society respects educated people, and I always wanted to earn that respect for him. Today, I work as a teacher and nothing brings more happiness to my heart when people talk to my father with admiration and honour.”
– Seema
Sneha has started schooling at Smile Foundation’s Mission Education centre – IPDP in Laggere, Bengaluru
“I don’t remember a single day when I wasn’t tortured mentally and physically by my husband. He used to spend all his earnings in his drinks. I never had even a single rupee in my hand. There were times when my daughter didn’t get anything to eat and I helplessly waited all night for my husband to return home with food. My daughter never cried in hunger – as if she has learned to live without adequate food. The day my husband fell sick, I spent all night on the hospital floor – crying besides him. No matter how worse situations were, I couldn’t leave him that way. I couldn’t give up on him.I did different works on daily wages – some days I broke stones, some days I carried 1000 bricks, and some days I cleaned factory floors – and earned money to pay for my husband’s medical bills. I never rested. I carried my daughter to all workplaces. Her smile gave me energy, gave me motivation and hope at every minute of my struggle. My husband is still recovering. When he thanks me for saving his life – I tell him, it’s our daughter’s smile that has kept both of us alive.”
– Mother of Sneha
Her daughter has been identified and enrolled at Smile Foundation’s Mission Education centre PWS in the Yamuna River Bank, Delhi
‘Only a labourer like me will understand how much hard work it takes to survive. If I do not put my sweat and blood in the work I do, my child will starve. I earn very little daily wages, so every single rupee is valuable. It doesn’t matter if our roof is broken, or we sleep on the cold mud-floor in winters. Nothing matters more than food for my child. When I feed my child I become the happiest person in this world. I feel no more pain when my daughter holds me and smiles. Who can be happier than me?’–
Sarita (a single mother living her life with her only daughter Priya)
