A few of us just got back from a visit to another bridge school, getting ready to do case studies on as many children as we can. We were introduced to three classes, and they were so excited to see us. Each class had a few boys who told us their stories.
The first was the story of a boy of nine years who came to the bridge camp within the past few months. He told us that his father murdered his mother about a year ago. He moved in with his maternal grandmother, and once he came out on bail, he poisoned and killed his grandmother. A little nine year-old boy telling us this story... I can't even imagine the pain, the nightmares. He and his little three-year old brother were now living at bridge camp until he is accepted to a government school and lives in a hostel.
We heard from probably ten more children, and maybe a third of them said their parents committed suicide, and several mentioned that their parents were alcoholic. These boys had all been through difficult things like this, even if their trials had "just" been child labor. I don't think I'll ever be callous to these stories, even after I've heard a hundred.
I'm still processing things, but I do want to say that it made me even more excited for my upcoming project: teaching about alcohol and tobacco abuse in slum communities. Alcohol causes so much harm to families and individuals who are already so poor and have such difficult situations. I can't blame them for wanting a way to relax and get away, but this is not a healthy way. I know these classes will be difficult and probably not well received, but it's a start. A very important start.
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| I didn't get pictures today, but the boys today reminded me of these boys at the rural bridge school. |
We heard from probably ten more children, and maybe a third of them said their parents committed suicide, and several mentioned that their parents were alcoholic. These boys had all been through difficult things like this, even if their trials had "just" been child labor. I don't think I'll ever be callous to these stories, even after I've heard a hundred.
I'm still processing things, but I do want to say that it made me even more excited for my upcoming project: teaching about alcohol and tobacco abuse in slum communities. Alcohol causes so much harm to families and individuals who are already so poor and have such difficult situations. I can't blame them for wanting a way to relax and get away, but this is not a healthy way. I know these classes will be difficult and probably not well received, but it's a start. A very important start.
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