| Noufal- Dreaming to make this world a better place |
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Name: Noufal
Age: Around 10
Home town: Kollam, (South Kerala)
Parents : Salim, who works in a cashew nut factory; mother remarried to escape the physical abuse and trauma.
How he reached here: he along with his younger brother Sabi were pushed to begging by their father to source money for drugs and booze. Rescued from the streets, Noufal and sabi are now inmates of Snehabhavan. Noufal is studying in class II
Let us lend an ear to their dreams, desires and the simple joys of their day to day life at Snehabhavan, in their very own words. Thin and vibrant Noufal preferred to listen to me, nod in agreement at times or come up with the missing facts the rest of the time. But after the ice breaking phase, he was in full flow. During our tete-a-tete, he bared his thoughts and dreams.
“I like to play around all the day and play pranks with my friends. I am in class II ( For me he appeared to have started his schooling a bit late) 'and am putting in my best effort to score good marks. Maths and English are my major stumbling blocks and the Don Bosco brother has arranged a tuition for these subjects'. Striking the best possible poses for camera, he spilled the beans that he likes acting. 'I love to operate mobile phones and likes to listen music' he told as we walked towards their dormitory where the story unfolded slowly.
This is my keep- sake box, he pulled out a tin cookie box from underneath his bunker bed and showed me his priceless possessions- a small talcum powder tin , a comb and some stickers and colorful marbles. Noufal narrated his typical day. ' I get up at 6.00 in the morning, after two laps of jogging we all do yoga before catching up with the studies. After breakfast , I take a quick bath and go to the school, which is next door . Only during weekends we get time to play and make merry.' There is a clear division of labour here where everyone will be assigned specific tasks, which will be shuffled periodically. Sweeping the courtyard, washing and folding their own clothes, and tending the garden are some of the chores that these kids do daily.
“ The chore I like the best is bathing our pet dog, Grigio named after the dog of Don Bosco. ' I also love watching movies on TV and to play football with our foreign coach at spare time'. “ I don't like to go home even for vacations as my father will beat me up after consuming liquor. I want to study well and become a police officer ;- that's my dream.
But why Police? I mused –' to catch the wrong doers and to make this society a better place' he told me. I could clearly feel his helplessness and grudge against his parents who were responsible for his present day plight in his muffled yet strong words as I moved to meet his younger brother, Sabi who was playing under a huge rain tree with some of his pals.
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