Chennai
I don’t have a permanent job and I am a physically challenged person. I own a small shop in Kannagi Nagar where I sell betel leaves and some chips packets. Sometimes I do household work also.
My daily earnings also vary from Rs 20 to Rs 100. I receive a pension of Rs 1,000 from the Tamil Nadu Handicapped Federation Charitable Trust. I have two sons — Arjun, who is studying in Class 9, and Abhishek, who is in Class 7, at the St. Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School. My husband left us as soon as my second child was born. I do not have any support from my family. I pay the school fees of my kids from the pension I get. Their school provides a set of uniform for both, for a year. They travel by school bus, which is free of cost.
All my struggles are only for my children’s education. They need to study well and succeed in life. I don’t want my children to take care of me. They should be able to take care of themselves. To meet all their requirements, I will work as much as I can. Wherever I go, the only thing I ask people is to give me a job so that I can educate my boys.
— As told to Dharshini Ramana
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android