While some of our inmates came from dysfunctional homes plagued with abject poverty or abuse, others had no recollections of their origins or kin. They languished in the bottomless pit of destitution, desolation and substance abuse, leading animal-like existences. But after SUPPORT intervened and took them under its wings, they kicked their vices for good and embarked on the journey of self-realization. Each one of them reciprocated our efforts, made diametrical turns and laboured to reclaim their lives. We are proud to say that today most of them are educated and vocationally trained, gainfully employed and honestly contributing to the society. Their steadfast trust in us and their diligent efforts for their own transformation wove incredible and colourful stories that continue to inspire countless others. Here are some of them.
Tappan is the younger of the two children, always smiling and jovial although he misses his family. He doesn’t remember from where he originally belongs. He was playing with his friends in a train which was stationary at the platform and he hid himself under the seat and fell asleep and later on the train moved on and he landed in Mumbai. At that time he was only 6 years old and had felt lost being alone in a strange city. Slowly he made friends and stayed with them. He would beg on the streets/traffic junctions, sweeping/begging in local trains and ate frugal meals. He was introduced to smoking cigarettes by his friends. It was lucky that SUPPORT’ outreach staff found him before his friends got him into other abusive substances. While on the street, he would visit SUPPORT’ Day Care center and was convinced to opt for detox/rehab program to which he had agreed.
This was a turning point in his life. On completion of detox program, his rehab began. He was admitted to a government run school. The rehabilitation program at SUPPORT focused on bringing about a transformation in his behavior, attitudes and habits preparing him for the mainstream. Apart from which there are several activities essential for a developing child, like recreation, drawing, handicrafts etc. At SUPPORT he was also tutored by our in-house coaching class teachers. The regular coaching classes enabling him to cope with the day-to-day homework and lessons in school. He found the classes helpful and was able to cope well with his studies in school. This resulted in him completing his 10th standard school final examinations and had scored 82% which was commendable feat.
After 10th under organisation, he was completed ITESM (Information Technology Electronic System Maintenance) two years course under Government Industrial Training Institution with 76.28%.
Educational Qualification journey of Mr. Tappan as follows;
| DEGREE | INSTITUTE | UNIVERSITY/BOARD | YEAR | PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSC(X) | Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Shikshan Sanstha Madhyamik vidya mandir | Maharashtra State Board | 2011 | 82.73% |
| ITESM | Government of Maharashtra | ITI Kurla Mumbai | 2013 | 76.28% |
| DIPLOMA (Ind. Electronic) | K.J Somaiya polytechnic | Autonomous | 2018 | 79.20% |
| B. E | Dr. D. Y. Patil school of Engineering academy | Pune University | 2021 | 71.14% |
Tappan applied for a job with HCL in Pune after finishing his B.E., and he was hired following an interview. He earns Rs.40,000 every month. This is the successful beginning for Tappan to become a part of the mainstream social milieu. This is the best example of role model for all of us.
A child who was addicted to drugs at the age of five, a child who used to live on streets and who lost his family. Not even able to remember his name, his family and place. This is the background of Ravi Pile, who is part of support today. This is the life story of Ravi. Ravi is working as a guide of vocational centre since three years. Dance is passion for him, he has completed professional dance classes.
Ravi still remembers the day when he came in support through an outreach worker.He was happy to join support. But very soon he started showing the resistance because in support there are rules which are followed by each person in support. Ravi shared that the street life taught him freedom in a very different way. After coming in support, he learnt to respect others's freedom. It was so difficult phase of detoxification in support. Ravi was angry...he planned to run out.
As Ravi shared, “I had many negative feelings against my peers. I was a child back then. I used to think these support peers are bothering me, they are ruling over me.” Ravi used to argue with peers and staff about rules and instructions. He says, “although I was a child, I liked to argue. That's what street life taught me. But in support when peer members gave me care, love and respect I turned to do the same.”
“Outside world reality gave me a true understanding of what life is. When I walked out of support after completing vocational centre course, I was earning and I was paying for every little thing in life for a first time. That situation gave me realization of what support had done for me!! I used to regret when I recalled how I behaved with my peers. Earning gave me sense of dignity, it was my own efforts.”
“Today I realized that sense of dignity came because of support. In rehabilitation centre support staff used to take session with us. Those sessions have given me life lessons. My anger and hopelessness life came in direction. I had passion of dancing; I channelized my all energy to dancing. This helped me to keep away myself from addiction.”
“This is why I got more attached to support. Support is like a tree for me, it has given peace, support, care, love without expecting anything from us. However, I choose to work in support. In initial phase I worked in support in kitchen centre of support. Vocational centre taught me the discipline of work, communication skills and behaviour.”
In Ravi’s words, “I am working with support organization since the last 4 years as an electrician trainer at vocational training centre and my salary is Rs. 16940. I am thankful for support and each and every person in support”. When Ravi was asked that, do he and his wife feel alone? As they don’t have blood relative... but very proudly Ravi said we don't need anyone. Support is our family, it’s always there for us and we are there for support.”
A Nepali, Ramu Teja Thapa is a 24 age-old who has been working as a staff member in Saphala center of Support since 2001.
Like any other child, he had been enrolled in a school. Pretending to go to school, he actually used to roam with his friends. Looking at his friends, he started drinking and smoking. But at the same time, he started to steal. His father took a decision to send him to his uncle’s home. But there also he did the same thing. All his family members started hating and beating him. He left home with depression and came to Delhi.
In Delhi he began stealing again. After three-four months he lived in one organization but within three months he too ran away from that organisation. Again, he started living on streets.
Then he came to Mumbai by train. He was living at Dadar station. At Dadar station, one support sister met him. She brought him to support. Generally detox process takes twenty one days, but Ramu's detox completed in six months. After detox they sent him to the rehab centre. “I studied in 7th class. After that, support found a job for me.” Before the job he fled from support but within one day he returned.
He said,”support was not the only an organization, it is a home for street children.” He said sir/madam always used to give him a message that, “you are not on the street you are in support.” “They always loved me”
In 2013, he became a staff member in support as a night staff and his per month salary is Rs.14520/-. Support sent him to saphala center. He has now three to four lakh rupees saving in the bank. He is planning to purchase one home.
He said ‘I can never forget what support did for me. Support tolerates tantrums. If I was on street, I may not be alive. Support gave me new life and stood another path. Today we can understand the problem. I don’t know my father's and mother's name but yes, my father’s and mother’s name is support. I very proudly say that 'Support' is my father and mother.”
Manoj Tirki is 19 years old now. He is the third child among six children in the family. The family hails from Ranchi, Jharkhand. His parents were both daily wage earners and lived in dire poverty. They were alcoholics and died early. After the death of his parents, Manoj took a train and came to Mumbai where he stayed on the streets and got habituated to different addictive substances [sniffing glue, alcohol, tobacco etc.]. He begged on the streets, trains, collected and sold scrap materials for sustenance. He would eat in cheap eateries which would distribute free food at times.
He used to visit SUPPORT’s day care center near the CST Railway station in Mumbai where he was gradually motivated and convinced to lead a dignified and drug free life. He agreed and was then enrolled for SUPPORT’s detoxification and rehabilitation programme. This was10 years ago!
At SUPPORT, after completion of detoxification treatment, Manoj continued with the long term residential rehabilitation program. He was admitted into a local school. He took this opportunity and worked hard in school. He also began to participate in the school’s extra-curricular activities like scholarship examinations, sports, games, debates and dance. He appeared for his 10th grade examination (SSC) in March 2014 and passed with a glorious 73%! It is truly commendable for Manoj to come such a long way from the poverty stricken family to a youngster seeking education and a dignified life. He has now been shifted to SUPPORT’s vocational training centre where he is attending classes at ITI, Mulund to become an electrician. He now proudly says that he owes his success to SUPPORT, which is his home.
Ajay Ram Avatar Sahani is now 26 years old. He was born In Bihar. When he was seven years old, his parents passed away in an accident. Thereafter his uncle took him to Kolkatta where he stayed in an NGO for three years. Then he started working as a helper in a tea stall. He worked there for three years. One day he asked for money from his uncle to buy new clothes. On being denied the money, he ran away from home. He stayed on the platforms of Kolkatta railway station for six years and then spent three years on Dadar railway station platform. During this time he got addicted to various substances like ganja, beedi, cigarettes, tobacco and liquor. In order to sustain on the streets, he would collect and sell scrap and sometimes would also do odd jobs as a porter etc.
In 2006, SUPPORT’s staff motivated Ajay to get off drugs and he was brought to our Centre for detoxification and vocational training programme. He also undertook peer educators’ training. Unfortunately within 10 months of the programme, he ran away from our Centre due to the pull of street and addiction.
In 2009 however, SUPPORT outreach team found him on Dadar station platform and motivated him yet once again to quit drugs and lead a productive and dignified life. He agreed and this time round, he continued with his training to become a peer educator for the next four years. He worked hard this time and due to his dedication and commitment, he was made a staff of SUPPORT. During the course of his peer training, he also saved some money. Now he is one of our best resident staff at SUPPORT.
Hailing from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kamlesh, a 45-year old has been working in 'Support' since 2005 as a staff member in the kitchen centre. He has speaking disability.
An alcoholic, Kamlesh came to Mumbai in search of a job. He expressed in his interview that he was illiterate and had a speaking problem. People used to make fun of him when I tried to speak. He said he was frustrated with life I didn't know what to do.”
In 2005 he came in contact with encourage centre, a rehabilitation centre. He got a job in dining hall.. But, his addiction was affecting his health and behaviour.
When he came to 'Support'. He got help for his deaddiction through counselling and awareness sessions. Detoxification phase was a very difficult phase of his life. It made him feel pain and anger but as Kamlesh said, “I was fighting with myself only. This fight was against addiction. The peer supporters of support were always there for me. Vijay sir used to interact with me personally; he helped me to think about myself, my life, my goals and my dreams. I had felt guilty of my speaking inability, but I slowly started to work on it. Today I don’t feel guilty about it. Even if I can’t speak fluently, I now traet myself with the respect I deserve.”
This was a turning point in Kamlesh's life. In Support, he was not only doing a job but he got an opportunity to work on himself. He got motivation to de-addict himself. Kamlesh said; he got a path of self-exploration with the help of support. Although he is illiterate, he has leadership skills. Today he is handling kitchen staff in kitchen centre.
In support training centre Kamlesh met his partner. A beautiful relationship took birth. In 2006 Kamlesh got marriedb to his beloved. They accepted each other with their struggling past and are living happily. Kamlesh is free from addiction now. It has been thirteen years he has not taken any alcohol or drugs. Support gave him various opportunities to develop his skills. Kamlesh completed a 6-month paraprofessional course. Recently he got appreciation award for staff performance.
In Kamlesh life journey support members was always there to uplift him. Kamlesh says, “without support I would have never reached this point in my life. It was me only who didn’t want to change my habit of addiction. So, I told myself that I am the only one responsible for who i had become, not my friends. My motivation started rising when I met Vijay sir.”
Today Kamlesh has his own house. As Kamlesh said, “support has taken efforts on me, on my skills. And today I am satisfied that I got an opportunity to work in support. The food we cook goes in detoxification centre and in rehabilitation centre too. I was also in a same place someday and someone was cooking for me.”
In Kamlesh’s words,” I am working with support organization last 15 years as a cook and my salary is Rs. 31460. I am thankful for support and its each and every staff member".
