In Indian society, family is ‘the’ primary institution and considered to be the safest place for any individual. At the same time, that is the place where domestic abuse, violence and exploitation also happens either due to lack of awareness or even deliberately. Family is a rigid institution where children have to be entirely dependent on their parents and are refused to be considered as a capable, decision making individual or even as a human being who has an individuality. When, parents are under certain difficult circumstances, the children are expected to sacrifice their individuality and work and behave against their will to satisfy their parents.
This is one such story of a 16 year old boy, Mahadev. Being a fatherless child and eldest, made him lose his way in his life. His mother expected him to support the family and the pressure from relatives added up to it. He quit his studies within a year of his father’s death and started working in a mechanic garage. He used to distribute papers at 5 am, open the mechanic garage at 9 am and return home after work only at 10.30 pm. All these 18 hours of work only for Rs.150 per day.
When Talaash got the information about the boy, we took immediate action by observing the boy in the mechanic garage to ensure that he is working for such long hours without going to school everyday. Once, Talaash was sure of the boy’s situation, we conducted an enquiry with the mechanic garage owner, the people in that area and also with the boy’s mother. We also found that the employer was the boy’s uncle.
Talaash’s work did not stop with rescue but we also took efforts to counsel the mother and made her aware of the importance of education and the health effects such hard work will be having on the boy. We also made the employer, his uncle to take responsibility of his education. Today, Mahadev is studying PUC second year and he is looking forward to become a mechanical engineer.
Talaash has succeeded in Rescue, Reintegration and Rehabilitation of the boy. Talaash is extremely happy to transform a mechanic garage boy to an aspiring mechanical engineer. Talaash never discriminates between family or stranger when it comes to violence, abuse and exploitation of women and children. At the same time, Talaash gives attention to the importance of relationships and in this case, it has both convicted and counseled the family to take care of the boy who will take care of his family in future.