Mahesh - an orphan

The story of Mahesh, age 11 years - In our lane there is a family who has a mobile tiffin centre in a busy area. They hired a child labour, Mahesh as a helper. His job is to clean the plates and serve the customers. He worked there for almost two months. Unfortunately, Mahesh was thrown out of the job and didn't pay salary for the days he worked.

I happened to talk to him a night. My aim was to join him in a hostel, so was explaining him the benefits of joining hostel with the help of child help line people. To my surprise, he gave a list of hostels he ran out from. Mahesh doesn't want to live in hostels, he had had brutal experiences in prison like hostel. He is strongly decided to stay away from hostels.

After a week I called him my home and inquired about his family. "My parents expired ages, I didn't see them since my birth; I have a sister younger to me. My sister and I brought up at my aunt's home for few years. She admitted to a hostel and studying there. I came to Hyderabad in search of a job. I happened to live in three to four hostels, but couldn't live in such jail like home, so ran off..." he said. A big question in front of me. Where should I keep this boy, how come his feeding, and education? Though, I told him to join my tution the very next day. Amazing! he is above average student to his level, he can read and write Telugu(mother tongue), English as well. Even he is good in Math basics. I decided firmly to join him school in the coming academic year. Mahesh is little or more interested in continuing his studies. As for now, he is staying in a broken old house. There is no roof for the room; doing small jobs in near by houses and eating here and there. My mind and heart sinked at the sight. Wanna do something, but how? My family won't allow to give him shelter, (as ours is 10x10 sq ft area, insufficient for us to live);God listened to my words at last! he got a small shelter in one of my alumni student's house. He welcomed him to stay without paying any rent (as for now). I was really happy for getting him a shelter.

What I observed from other students was, everyone came forward to contribute for the living of Mahesh. It's a good sign in fact, sowing a seed of humanity at an early age. Glad and satisfied to see their helping nature.