Spreading Cheer

Meet eighteen-year-old Abdul Khan. A Class XII student,Abdul roped in his friends to form a club,‘Helping Hands’. The objective,he says,is to ensure that orphans and children in shelters understand they are loved and wanted.

Abdul,a resident of Turbhe area in Navi Mumbai,and his friends visited a children’s home on Children’s Day after forming their group. So thrilled were they after managing to get the children in the shelter to smile that they decided to throw a Christmas party for them.

“We did not have any monetary backing. All of us come from middle-class or lower middle-class families. However,not having money is no excuse to avoid helping someone. We all pooled in and got fruits,chips,biscuits and sweets for the kids,” says Abdul.

When asked what started it all,Abdul says,“I come from a family where finances are not stable. I had dropped out of school when I was in Class X. In the area where I reside,an NGO called Aarambh has set up base to help people like me. The founder,Shobha Murthy,called me and told me not to quit my studies. She got me enrolled in the National Institute of Open Schooling and coached me for free throughout the year. I passed the exams the next year,scoring 70 per cent.

After joining junior college,Abdul decided to assist Murthy with her NGO. After a while,Abdul realised it was time to give back to society for all that he had received in terms of help and guidance.

Abdul then met his five other partners in the endeavour — Dinesh Sawant (17),Piyush Shukla (17),Anand Singh (18),Sayali Gharat (17) and Prajakta Patil (17). He tried telling his friends,all of whom study in the same coaching classes,about the idea and they readily agreed.

“The concept is simple. We go to orphanages and children’s homes and tell those children they are loved. We know how far someone can go if a person motivates them. The children have no one to call their own and this is where we step in. We tell them that we are their family and that we love them. The smiles on the faces of children whom we meet makes our day,” he says.

Anand Singh,who came to Mumbai from Uttar Pradesh to pursue higher studies,chips in,“I am new to Mumbai and know how difficult this city can be for someone without family. I am fortunate enough to live here with my cousin. The children whom we visit have no family and are alone. Helping them,motivating them to study and also urging them to dream big is our goal.”