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This journey began 6 years back when I was in my first year of graduation at Thakur College of Science and Commerce and even I was persuading for my CA also but it just has been a month and I was returning from my college and I saw these kids playing on the street which is a national highway itself. It was raining heavily as it was the month of August and they were so busy dancing that I couldn't stop myself and I went to interact with them and then I realise that most of the children are already enrolled in a nearby BMC school where their parents just use to sent for Mid Day Meal purpose, so that at least they can get a timed meal. Than I asked them to bring their school bag and everyone brought their school bag and kept in front of me and they were like "see" And when I opened their school bag I saw that all their notebooks and workbooks were blank and not a single word was written in that and when I asked the reason that they said they are just admitted in their respective standards according to their age weather are capable of it or not. Most of them were in their primary section but not even able to recognise what is A B C D. Than I decided that will give my college time which was 7.00 am to 11.20 am to these kids for which I have to catch 5.16 am train from Boisar than 6.18 am Dadar local and then I use to reach Borivali till 6.50 am than Rickshaw to reach till Mahindra Flyover which is just opposite to Mahindra & Mahindra Co. For the very first day when i reach than i just started with basic like A B C D than it was getting difficult for me to tell the same thing again and again to each and every child but that was okay to manage with it but moment it was 9.00 am in the clock all of the sudden one one kids started moving from their place that they have to go toilet and all but within half an hour just 4 to 5 kids were sitting with me and in that day one of my friends is to be accompany me with teaching her name was Payal Shah, she was even my batchmate and local resident of Kandivali itself. Afterwards I came to know from the remaining kids that everyone went at Sai Dham Temple which is at walking distance from the flyover for begging than I got but upset even angry and I told Payal to be with the kids and I went to the temple to see the other kids and bring them back and what I got see it really disturbed me.
My kids were running behind people and vehicles asking for food & money but when they saw me all came running to me. Then I told them from now whatever you need you can tell me I will get each and everything for you, you don't need to beg around for anything. Then I took them a shop bought wadapav & sugarcane juice for them. They all got so happy and held like they won't ever leave me only then I took all of them under the flyover and we all sat together and started our class! Next day I brought whiteboard, notebooks for particular subjects like 4 lines, 2 lines, and square notebooks! But on the next day also again all kids ran for the temple and again I have to go behind them and bring them back, later I came to know that their parents use to send them that at least they will get something and they will eat that in their absence when will go in search of work while day and will be returning late evening, so I explained that you work bit harder for your kids and for their future will do as much possible from my side for my kids! Few days passed on they had become my own kids and the bridge people had become my family, their problems, situation I have seen and understood very closely been in that atmosphere I realise that how my children are surviving over there but always smiling whether they get to eat "rice & chilli powder" or sometimes something good given by people or me! They never complain about it. Many times they asked me also to join with them when they are eating at their home than I also had some time and nothing could taste like that rice & chilli powder, many times my kids feed me from their own hands! Slowly & steadily I started spending my most of the time with them only thinking that what can I do for my kids future what should I do that they really get a better future and they don't have to stay in such place and situations with their kids! Each and every festival I started celebrating with my kids even on Diwali I use to reach home at 11.00 pm from Saurashtra Mail train 9.20 pm from Borivali than from Palghar I have to take a bus for Boisar. They had become my life and behind them and their problems I had forgotten my own life and in all this one girl always stood with me that was Payal Shah. After a year local people came to know who use to see me teaching my kids to understand flyover and Saturday & Sunday I used to be with my kids from morning till evening. So people started coming and helping me with teaching and other stuff which my kids are in need of, like stationery, food items and all. My college friends also started coming even my teacher started supporting me especially my HOD Nishikant Jha Sir who supported me in every manner however he can help me and my kids! With time my kids started speaking and forming the sentence of English, basics, myself, spellings, other extra knowledge which they have not in their school from so much of time they did here in few hours of teaching and seeing this their parents were so happy even they started learning from their children. Now my kids knew what is good habits and what is bad habits for what I will appreciate them and for what I will seek at them. And they knew that I was very emotional for them so they never do such things because they have seen me crying for them in front of their parents and people! Me and my kids we both were very sensitive for each other! So many up and down came in our life, some time BMC use to come that they have orders to clear the flyover, sometimes local police use to come but all the time requesting from them I have to make things better for my kids! Many times I have to go to the police station also for my kids!
This why my graduation was about to complete and then question arise that now what ??? What will happen if my kids after me, what about their future and our hard work which we have done together for their better future than I decided that will enrol them into a better school so that they should get that education and attention for what they were in need of it. But that also became a huge challenge for me that 24 kids were there with me from 2.5 years to 14 years which mean nursery till 8'th I have to admit them in a school but not a single school was ready to take them as they were street kids, they didn't had that background which school want for the admission that I contacted a school which was a part of Thakur Educational Group from where I was doing my graduation and they allowed but again question came for the fees that from where fees will come which was around 15,000 for a year of semi English and 22,000 for English medium. From out 24 I have to admit 18 into semi English and 6 into English medium and all this was as an individual but than i asked my teachers than they suggested me that you should form an organisation where people can donate funds and resources what we are in needs of it and for that I wanted two people and we were already two people me & Payal and we decided to register and we started with the process but it was taking so long time that i thought if registration won't be done on time that my kids have to wait for one more year than I went to meet deputy registrar who was the Incharge of Non profit organisations and I requested her and he was so humble that she processed our applications on priority basis and we got registered on 29'th May 2014 and the Deputy Registrar was Padmawati Balkrishna. Than it was Bank Account and we had met a person while collecting old newspaper from my friend society "Kalpataru Towers" who as Vice President of Yes Bank and he had assured us that if anything he could do for us than it would be more than happy to do for us than we called him and our account was opened just because he assured about us in his bank and we submitted all documents and our account was opened and before we were done with our registration there were lots of people who had given the blank cheques just with amount and signatures so that whenever my organisation get registered i can deposit their cheque, one was Managing Director of ABHITECH PVT Ganesh Samant & another the employees of TNT India PVT and even after all support we were not having that much amount that i can admit my all kids in school than i broken my FD of 90,000/- which my Dad have done on my name without informing my parents and till today they didn't know about this! I invested my all savings behind my kids because now they were my future, i am able to see my future in my kids that better than me my kids will use that money and it will be the best investment of my life.
An animal activist "Christian Lobo Mam" have also seen me teaching the kids under the flyover, she also contacted me and we met and i told her everything she assured that she will help my kids in every possible manner and her did also my kid's uniforms, books and remaining fees by her contribution only! And this way my kids got enrolled into a Private School and all because of the support of people and i got a call from DNA they heard from somewhere and wanted to write about me and they came to meet me under flyover with their photographer and it was the first time that someone has clicked my picture with my Kids! After that Zee News came under the flyover and after that this was covered by various newspaper and media houses and more and more people came forward to help and support my Kids till than many more kids have started coming under the flyover to study and the same way I use to reach the kids! My few kids were so good in studies that in their first year of school they have scored 90% above and one of my students Tejal was enrolled first time in school and her teachers were so happy with her performance that they were surprised that street children can also do so, she stood 2'nd rank in her class! Akash the eldest boy who is preparing for his IIT from his 8'th STD at "Vidhyalankar" And Nandini, Pooja, Ronak, Arjun, Vishal, Akashy, Amul, Amit, Akash, Nitin, Subham and all were amazing in their first year of school not just academic but sports were like they are born for it.
And this way my kids cleared their first and we went to Essel World for the picnic, Mac Donald, Dominos, Wat Media and many such places kids got to visit or I took them to see that there is a lot to explore than just flyover! Their happiness, joy and smiles used to make me forget everything and I forget only that till when because I never thought as an organisation but always thought as if they are my kids only and there was nothing wrong in it also! And the same way the second year came and i enrolled more 49 students in this same school. More pressure for the fees and other kids of kids and in between my kids and i were invited by Red FM and awarded me as "Mumbai Ke Asali Hero" my kids had a great time and that was also going amazingly but in the moth of January my kid Tejal got ill first we thought it was normal but later on we realise that we are into huge problems she was affecting from tetanus infection and from a small clinic Sidhant Hospital (Kandivali) to a normal hospital (Children Hospital) then she need to admit to "Dhirubhai Ambani Kokilaben Hospital" where she was admitted for more than 2 months but when she got discharged she was absolutely fine, we all were happy about that but our financial situation was like we were not available with funds that we can take care of my kids next day expenses also and in that another thing happened one my student fallen from auto while going to school and he was also in Junior KG and his thy bone was broken into two parts and he also got hospitalised first at government hospital after that to "Children Hospital" for better care! Like suddenly everything was against my kids, people had question that why they need to be admitted in such big hospitals, why so much of money needs to be spent behind them that same question arise on their school that why they are going into private school and before I could understand anything most of the people took their support from my kids without thinking what will happen of my kids!
Their future will be on stake but no one thought of it and they left me all alone, every media houses and people who supported me, praised me no one came to support me, i had rented a small place for my kids after school studies that they can come after school over their and study and do their homework but even i have left that place also and my kids were looking at me with hope that sir will do something for them but i was helpless but than also i didn't loose hope and after trying here and there i managed to pay their fees as my Akash was in his 10'th STD i have to get the best tuition for him, so that he can do best in his 10'th STD, i enrolled him in "Mahesh Tutorials" even one of the Parent was good in art but for that also people was not ready to purchase because there was no big name behind that painting nor my organisation was have such big name that people could buy for that but than also few people supported me in that also and we were able to sell a few paintings that also helped us to pay the fees of my children! And now all of the sudden due to metro work BMC, MMRDA, Local Police and Mahindra and Mahindra came to vacant the flyover and asked me to take my children where ever i feel but they can’t live under flyover the only shelter and roof on their head but than also i took it as challenges and utilities that opportunity to change the life of my children and bring them out the place where their life and health was always at risk. And i came up with a plan to start a Gurukul (Self Sustainable Community Living) with modern education technology but the teaching technique would be a bit different with the help of some modern technology and some Vedic period concept. Where my kids will stay also with other 400 street kids and underprivileged kids will study with them. Their parents will be indulged in organic farming, cow shelters, pottery, agriculture-based industries, art and all. Which will lead my kids to learn different skills and they will get the best education!
For which i have seen a land also which is costing 4 crores. I tweeted to PM INDIA, Sushma Swaraj, Suresh Prabhu thinking that they are solving such small problems they will come forward for my kids but no one showed any interest, even the channel who showed my story on their respective channel they also didn't even bother to talk to me about my kids problems and help my kids! My all kids stay under flyovers, streets and i want to give them a better future and a safer and healthier environment where they can learn, grow & enjoy their childhood which is their basic rights but they are not getting even a bit of it.
But Building A Self Sustainable Community Living is huge project and it is going to take long time to come into reality so in meanwhile unless i am ready with my Self Sustainable Community Living project, i am planning to rent a school building where kids can stay and continue their school and we can run the prototype of our self-sustainable community living project here in this where i am planning to start India's first fab lab/maker's space for my children and international standard of school for underprivileged children where we will enrol 60% underprivileged children and 40% regular normal students. And this 40 % of children will help us to sustain our 60% of children. So i have convinced the builder to give his school building on rent for 3 years in which we have to arrange about 5 Cr. to pay his cost of building with 3 years of time span and till then we will have the building on rent.
I need your help to raise the deposit, at least one-year rent money and some money to make the building school ready. I need you all to help me to give a balanced life and quality education to my children. I am not putting anything on the portal, i want that this time you guys do the things from your side and see how we can make it work. Because this is the last 6 months i have in my hand if i didn't able to do this coming 6 months then nothing will be left. My kids will be thrown from the flyover by BMC people and local authorities because for them my children are not the part of the city itself. I want to you all understand this whole issues and help my children to have a school of their dream which will help them to achieve their dreams and sensitize the whole world towards the issues faced by the today's world. I don't know how much right i am with my words but i hope you guys will understand the whole cause.
My kids were running behind people and vehicles asking for food & money but when they saw me all came running to me. Then I told them from now whatever you need you can tell me I will get each and everything for you, you don't need to beg around for anything. Then I took them a shop bought wadapav & sugarcane juice for them. They all got so happy and held like they won't ever leave me only then I took all of them under the flyover and we all sat together and started our class! Next day I brought whiteboard, notebooks for particular subjects like 4 lines, 2 lines, and square notebooks! But on the next day also again all kids ran for the temple and again I have to go behind them and bring them back, later I came to know that their parents use to send them that at least they will get something and they will eat that in their absence when will go in search of work while day and will be returning late evening, so I explained that you work bit harder for your kids and for their future will do as much possible from my side for my kids! Few days passed on they had become my own kids and the bridge people had become my family, their problems, situation I have seen and understood very closely been in that atmosphere I realise that how my children are surviving over there but always smiling whether they get to eat "rice & chilli powder" or sometimes something good given by people or me! They never complain about it. Many times they asked me also to join with them when they are eating at their home than I also had some time and nothing could taste like that rice & chilli powder, many times my kids feed me from their own hands! Slowly & steadily I started spending my most of the time with them only thinking that what can I do for my kids future what should I do that they really get a better future and they don't have to stay in such place and situations with their kids! Each and every festival I started celebrating with my kids even on Diwali I use to reach home at 11.00 pm from Saurashtra Mail train 9.20 pm from Borivali than from Palghar I have to take a bus for Boisar. They had become my life and behind them and their problems I had forgotten my own life and in all this one girl always stood with me that was Payal Shah. After a year local people came to know who use to see me teaching my kids to understand flyover and Saturday & Sunday I used to be with my kids from morning till evening. So people started coming and helping me with teaching and other stuff which my kids are in need of, like stationery, food items and all. My college friends also started coming even my teacher started supporting me especially my HOD Nishikant Jha Sir who supported me in every manner however he can help me and my kids! With time my kids started speaking and forming the sentence of English, basics, myself, spellings, other extra knowledge which they have not in their school from so much of time they did here in few hours of teaching and seeing this their parents were so happy even they started learning from their children. Now my kids knew what is good habits and what is bad habits for what I will appreciate them and for what I will seek at them. And they knew that I was very emotional for them so they never do such things because they have seen me crying for them in front of their parents and people! Me and my kids we both were very sensitive for each other! So many up and down came in our life, some time BMC use to come that they have orders to clear the flyover, sometimes local police use to come but all the time requesting from them I have to make things better for my kids! Many times I have to go to the police station also for my kids!This why my graduation was about to complete and then question arise that now what ??? What will happen if my kids after me, what about their future and our hard work which we have done together for their better future than I decided that will enrol them into a better school so that they should get that education and attention for what they were in need of it. But that also became a huge challenge for me that 24 kids were there with me from 2.5 years to 14 years which mean nursery till 8'th I have to admit them in a school but not a single school was ready to take them as they were street kids, they didn't had that background which school want for the admission that I contacted a school which was a part of Thakur Educational Group from where I was doing my graduation and they allowed but again question came for the fees that from where fees will come which was around 15,000 for a year of semi English and 22,000 for English medium. From out 24 I have to admit 18 into semi English and 6 into English medium and all this was as an individual but than i asked my teachers than they suggested me that you should form an organisation where people can donate funds and resources what we are in needs of it and for that I wanted two people and we were already two people me & Payal and we decided to register and we started with the process but it was taking so long time that i thought if registration won't be done on time that my kids have to wait for one more year than I went to meet deputy registrar who was the Incharge of Non profit organisations and I requested her and he was so humble that she processed our applications on priority basis and we got registered on 29'th May 2014 and the Deputy Registrar was Padmawati Balkrishna. Than it was Bank Account and we had met a person while collecting old newspaper from my friend society "Kalpataru Towers" who as Vice President of Yes Bank and he had assured us that if anything he could do for us than it would be more than happy to do for us than we called him and our account was opened just because he assured about us in his bank and we submitted all documents and our account was opened and before we were done with our registration there were lots of people who had given the blank cheques just with amount and signatures so that whenever my organisation get registered i can deposit their cheque, one was Managing Director of ABHITECH PVT Ganesh Samant & another the employees of TNT India PVT and even after all support we were not having that much amount that i can admit my all kids in school than i broken my FD of 90,000/- which my Dad have done on my name without informing my parents and till today they didn't know about this! I invested my all savings behind my kids because now they were my future, i am able to see my future in my kids that better than me my kids will use that money and it will be the best investment of my life.
An animal activist "Christian Lobo Mam" have also seen me teaching the kids under the flyover, she also contacted me and we met and i told her everything she assured that she will help my kids in every possible manner and her did also my kid's uniforms, books and remaining fees by her contribution only! And this way my kids got enrolled into a Private School and all because of the support of people and i got a call from DNA they heard from somewhere and wanted to write about me and they came to meet me under flyover with their photographer and it was the first time that someone has clicked my picture with my Kids! After that Zee News came under the flyover and after that this was covered by various newspaper and media houses and more and more people came forward to help and support my Kids till than many more kids have started coming under the flyover to study and the same way I use to reach the kids! My few kids were so good in studies that in their first year of school they have scored 90% above and one of my students Tejal was enrolled first time in school and her teachers were so happy with her performance that they were surprised that street children can also do so, she stood 2'nd rank in her class! Akash the eldest boy who is preparing for his IIT from his 8'th STD at "Vidhyalankar" And Nandini, Pooja, Ronak, Arjun, Vishal, Akashy, Amul, Amit, Akash, Nitin, Subham and all were amazing in their first year of school not just academic but sports were like they are born for it.
And this way my kids cleared their first and we went to Essel World for the picnic, Mac Donald, Dominos, Wat Media and many such places kids got to visit or I took them to see that there is a lot to explore than just flyover! Their happiness, joy and smiles used to make me forget everything and I forget only that till when because I never thought as an organisation but always thought as if they are my kids only and there was nothing wrong in it also! And the same way the second year came and i enrolled more 49 students in this same school. More pressure for the fees and other kids of kids and in between my kids and i were invited by Red FM and awarded me as "Mumbai Ke Asali Hero" my kids had a great time and that was also going amazingly but in the moth of January my kid Tejal got ill first we thought it was normal but later on we realise that we are into huge problems she was affecting from tetanus infection and from a small clinic Sidhant Hospital (Kandivali) to a normal hospital (Children Hospital) then she need to admit to "Dhirubhai Ambani Kokilaben Hospital" where she was admitted for more than 2 months but when she got discharged she was absolutely fine, we all were happy about that but our financial situation was like we were not available with funds that we can take care of my kids next day expenses also and in that another thing happened one my student fallen from auto while going to school and he was also in Junior KG and his thy bone was broken into two parts and he also got hospitalised first at government hospital after that to "Children Hospital" for better care! Like suddenly everything was against my kids, people had question that why they need to be admitted in such big hospitals, why so much of money needs to be spent behind them that same question arise on their school that why they are going into private school and before I could understand anything most of the people took their support from my kids without thinking what will happen of my kids!
Their future will be on stake but no one thought of it and they left me all alone, every media houses and people who supported me, praised me no one came to support me, i had rented a small place for my kids after school studies that they can come after school over their and study and do their homework but even i have left that place also and my kids were looking at me with hope that sir will do something for them but i was helpless but than also i didn't loose hope and after trying here and there i managed to pay their fees as my Akash was in his 10'th STD i have to get the best tuition for him, so that he can do best in his 10'th STD, i enrolled him in "Mahesh Tutorials" even one of the Parent was good in art but for that also people was not ready to purchase because there was no big name behind that painting nor my organisation was have such big name that people could buy for that but than also few people supported me in that also and we were able to sell a few paintings that also helped us to pay the fees of my children! And now all of the sudden due to metro work BMC, MMRDA, Local Police and Mahindra and Mahindra came to vacant the flyover and asked me to take my children where ever i feel but they can’t live under flyover the only shelter and roof on their head but than also i took it as challenges and utilities that opportunity to change the life of my children and bring them out the place where their life and health was always at risk. And i came up with a plan to start a Gurukul (Self Sustainable Community Living) with modern education technology but the teaching technique would be a bit different with the help of some modern technology and some Vedic period concept. Where my kids will stay also with other 400 street kids and underprivileged kids will study with them. Their parents will be indulged in organic farming, cow shelters, pottery, agriculture-based industries, art and all. Which will lead my kids to learn different skills and they will get the best education!
For which i have seen a land also which is costing 4 crores. I tweeted to PM INDIA, Sushma Swaraj, Suresh Prabhu thinking that they are solving such small problems they will come forward for my kids but no one showed any interest, even the channel who showed my story on their respective channel they also didn't even bother to talk to me about my kids problems and help my kids! My all kids stay under flyovers, streets and i want to give them a better future and a safer and healthier environment where they can learn, grow & enjoy their childhood which is their basic rights but they are not getting even a bit of it.
But Building A Self Sustainable Community Living is huge project and it is going to take long time to come into reality so in meanwhile unless i am ready with my Self Sustainable Community Living project, i am planning to rent a school building where kids can stay and continue their school and we can run the prototype of our self-sustainable community living project here in this where i am planning to start India's first fab lab/maker's space for my children and international standard of school for underprivileged children where we will enrol 60% underprivileged children and 40% regular normal students. And this 40 % of children will help us to sustain our 60% of children. So i have convinced the builder to give his school building on rent for 3 years in which we have to arrange about 5 Cr. to pay his cost of building with 3 years of time span and till then we will have the building on rent.
I need your help to raise the deposit, at least one-year rent money and some money to make the building school ready. I need you all to help me to give a balanced life and quality education to my children. I am not putting anything on the portal, i want that this time you guys do the things from your side and see how we can make it work. Because this is the last 6 months i have in my hand if i didn't able to do this coming 6 months then nothing will be left. My kids will be thrown from the flyover by BMC people and local authorities because for them my children are not the part of the city itself. I want to you all understand this whole issues and help my children to have a school of their dream which will help them to achieve their dreams and sensitize the whole world towards the issues faced by the today's world. I don't know how much right i am with my words but i hope you guys will understand the whole cause.
| Sr. No | Particulars | Estimate in INR | Estimate in US$ (1$ = 70 INR) | Details |
| I | Deposit | 10,00,000/- | 14,286$ | 1Acare of Land |
| II | Rent I) 3Lakh * 11 = 33,00,000/- II) 3.3 Lakh * 11 = 36,30,000/- III) 3.63 Lakh * 11 = 39,93,000/- | 1,09,23,000/- | 1,56,043$ | 14,000 Sq. Feet 18 Class Room |
| III | Furniture & Fixture | 50,00,000/- | 71,429$ | ●Benhes ●Black Board ●Chairs ●Tables ●Computers, Etc. |
| IV | Total | 1,69,23,000/- | 2,41,757$ |
