The tyres of the cart are almost flat, and the cloth which used to cover the fresh vegetables flutters in the slow breeze exposing dried remnants of vegetable leftover. Mitthu Lal and Yashoda look out of the window in despair; the eerie silence of the narrow street provides no solace. With every passing day, some loss is added for Mitthu Lal in geometrical progression making life increasingly difficult for his six-member family during the lockdown in Ajmer district.
Puja, a grade nine student, was promoted to grade 10 without any exams due to the lockdown. Puja is one of the sincerest students of the school and the eldest of the four siblings. She tries never to miss any of the life skills training provided by Room to Read.
The Social Mobilizer didi from Room to Read who conducts trainings is also concerned now, as she is aware that Puja’s father is a vegetable vendor dependent on daily earnings. Puja could sense the agony of her parents as the money required was not enough to tide over the lockdown period. Her parents put on a brave face in front of the children and used to act as though everything was fine.
One day, her father was waiting patiently to go out to a nearby shop during the relaxation hours announced by the local administration. The mother was looking frantically for coins and whatever change available in the small cash box. She looked pensively at the father. Since they stay in a single-room house, the emotions could be read by all.
Puja opened her fist and offered her mother the denominations in her hand. The mother enquired from where she had got the money. “I have saved Rs 2500 for my grade 10 education from my pocket money, and I never ate Kurkure, Chips or Imli during recess”, explained Puja.
Tears welled to the brim in the big tired eyes of her father and inconsolable mother who hugged Puja. ”We cannot take this money…” the mother said, wiping her tears. “Mother, I will fulfill your dream and go to the highest grade”, said Puja. She further added, “I learnt in my life skills session, how to save money and the difference between wants and needs. At present, we need this money for all of us…”