Hey guys… I have deep thoughts about identity laid down in papers marking our past and future as it gives us a tag about who we are…

I am writing about my experience when me and my friends were on trekking on woods in western part of our state which has more dense forests and mountains.

As our state is free from slums and very less people are poor over here, so this was my first encounter of poor and helpless people in my state.

Below is my conversation with a small village girl who has never been to school and is so poor that her family has no access to electricity, and other modern facilities.

Her family lives in deep woods, falling on the way to a small town from where they can buy groceries which takes them whole day to reach  by foot as there are no road in that area due to its forest cover.

Me and my friends after walking for nearly 6 hrs were tired and were running out of water, were we encountered a small kutcha house made of bamboo and tree woods, we taught of filling our bottles as we had a lond way to go…

As soon as we reach near the house, a women in her 30s and a girl nearly 10 yrs old start running towards their house.

May be they thought us to be of harm, as we were group of 10 people, the strange thing was, the fear in their eyes🥺

I had never seen such people in my life, who would run in fear after encountering people (strangers).

Being a social worker a slowly approached the women and said 

"Sister, we are travelling to Yuksum, we came from the east side of state, don't be scared, we just need some water, can you give us?

Slowly she came from inside and half leaning through the door she said 

“ There is a water pipe, you can drink from there"

My friends started to drink and fill our bottles, we were too tired and decided to rest for a while but we found that the women and the girl were peeping us ..

I felt curious about their existence in such a deep forest, with no light, no niegboughers, only wild animals and tress.

I went closer to their door and asked

" Sister, do you usually live here, how you all manage to eat in such deep forest?, Which ward it falls, who is your panchayat? Why don't you shift to nearby town?

I only found blankness in her face, maybe I asked too much.

“ This is my husband land and we earn by cutting woods, my husband has gone to town to bring groceries, he will be back today.”

I was in dilemma, how can people survive by walking all day for basic amenities, she was innocent and helpless, as she could not leave their ancestors property nor, have any skills to earn their livelihood.

“Little one, which school you go? I leaned closed to the girl and tried to read the school name from her school uniform.”

My friends too joined me, the girl looked upon her mother with a hint of suprise.

“ She don't go to school, this are clothes my husband brings from town, he says they are nice people and gives him for free”. The women replied.

We were shocked 😲 a 10 yr old girl, doesn't goes to school, and they even dint knew that the dress was a uniform of school, god that was driving us crazy.

We nearly talked about an hour after that with heavy heart we left, I left my phone number to her, showing my phone, saying if anything happens, you ask town people to dial this number in future, sure she dint knew what I meant, still I wrote down my address and number, with few of my friends number, they were finally smiling seeing the food items we gave them which may be they had never seen. Atlast we bid good bye.

The part of the girl really break my heart still our country has a long way to go, it's been 6 years, I have never got a call but I closely monitor that place and our NGO reached them for support last year and I know even if we are able to add some happiness and support in their life, even a little that will be worth for is.

I hope a better world for them…