Christmas Gifts @ Khushi

Ummeed diary

25th December

I joined 'Dil Se' from 1st Dec, and feels like its already becoming a part of my system - physically (running after the boys can be a bit tiring at times!), mentally (the babel of sounds that fill up the day gets intense at times :)  and emotionally (still coming to terms with many boys refusing to get inside the class). I am their new English and Computer teacher, to put it simply but that's not all!
Ummeed is a very different place. Every kid over there has a story behind the veil of indifference and (at times) insolence. They do have dreams, and so you see when you talk to them but they have so many layers that require peeling that they just find it easier to ignore it and blame others. I'm so new to all this, that even I feel overwhelmed at times with things they've gone through and things they still put themselves through. It's not easy to draw lines of right and wrong when you're talking to them one on one. Looking into their eyes, you only see glimpses of their secret emotions as they hide well behind the doors of aggression or nonchalance.
Everyday I enter, sensing a strange force drawing me to them. Everyday I leave, feeling a bit more closer to them..

Ummeed at Hard Rock Cafe

Ummeed boys at 'Hard Rock Cafe'.. A lot of Music, a lot of masti :)

More pictures at :
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=592414&id=519095563&saved

Christmas Day Celebration

From a volunteer Furkan's diary

Dil Se:

The time I spent with the kids of the Ummeed house of the NGO Aman Biraadari highly sensitized me towards the issue of child abuse and their rehabilitation. It usually involved interacting and playing with small kids and teaching them new things. Along with that, I had a lot of interaction with the grown up kids, who had earlier either been victims of bonded or child labor.

Getting to know all the difficulties the children have gone through makes me wonder how brave they are and what would possibly heal the deep wounds engraved in their minds. These kids have left me astonished and awestruck. The amount of hardships and dark days they have went through and despite all their twinkling eyes speak a lot about their commendable courage. Small kids, who we presume to be able to bear no hardships and fit for only tenderness, have gone through such crude and tough conditions like drug abuse, physical exploitation and mental trauma. In this young age, when all you are presumed to do is play and enjoy life, they go through conditions that no one would want to endure.

However, the wonderful thing about childhood is that you tend to not hold grudges against life and on the slightest whim are ready to move ahead, start afresh and get lost in the carefree life of dreams. Aman Biraadari has restored the faith of the children in life and its beautiful things. It has succeeded in winning over the trust of the children. The children know they are at a safe place, they know that whatever they have will not be lost and that they won’t have to return to the cut throat street life that they have left behind. The friendly and family like atmosphere can hardly be ignored, it is touching and even makes the guest feel welcomed, not to talk of the kids.

The association and interaction with kids was really enlightening, fun and educational. And also, the children of the house have been very well educated and trained which has in turn led to the manifestation of the real talent of the kids. The fact that the bookish knowledge is not given and unfair hype and that all sorts of skills are encouraged is a very commendable stream of thought.

I would really love to interact with the kids in the near future and help them if I can in any possible way.