‘Want to take her away from hard life’: Slum children have a simple wish on Mother’s Day
Not particularly keen to do what her mother, a sanitation worker in corporate offices, does, Romita says “I want to work as an executive in one of the offices my mother cleans.” She quickly adds, “It’s my mother’s dream.”
Today is like any other day at the slum near airport road in Mohali, but people are aware of its significance. Urmi, 39, who has two daughters, however, doesn’t understand why Mother’s Day should be celebrated.
“What’s there to celebrate? Every day is Mother’s Day. We work day and night to ensure a bright future of our children,” she says.
Prem Lata, 36, whose son studies in Class 9, heard about Mother’s Day from her son. “He knows about it, he keeps watching television and reading books,”she says.
Arvind Kumar, 16, who dropped out of school after Class 8 because of ‘family circumstances’, thinks for a while when asked what he wants to do for his mother. “I am living in the slum since my childhood but I don’t want to be here all my life. I want my mother to live a comfortable life and I will work hard to achieve it,” he says.
Romita, 12, a Class 7 student in a school in Daddu Majra, says instead of giving a gift to her mother she wants something in return. “She should not scold or beat us,” she smiles, adding, “today I haven’t been scolded by her.”
Not particularly keen to do what her mother, a sanitation worker in corporate offices, does, Romita says “I want to work as an executive in one of the offices my mother cleans.” She quickly adds, “It’s my mother’s dream.”
Many of the children here go to government schools nearby and a few of them study in Chandigarh. Some have dreams. A student of Class 9, Priyanshu Sagar, wants to become a scientist. “I keep working on innovations at home and get scolded for that by mother. One day, I will take her, my father and younger brother from here to a better place. I know that will be the best gift for my mother,” he says, while cleaning his father’s autorickshaw.
Rani, 13, who makes money from tailoring and loves cycling has a special wish for her mother. A school dropout, she says, “There is a strange fear within us. We do not have the financial security. If something were to happen, who will assist us? My mother lives with this fear and stress all the time. I just want her to live a peaceful life without this worry.”
