It does not always happen that a person needs to take care of his family only after getting grown up. Sometimes thing becomes different for different people. One such thing has been seen in Balangir town of Odisha where a 12 year old boy has taken up the responsibility of his family.
Meet Chuman Rao, a 12 year old boy from Balangir. After the sad demise of his father he has shouldered the burden of his family that comprises of his ailing mother and a younger brother. His mother is a Tuberculosis patient and his younger brother is too young to even understand what family responsibility is. Hence, after death of his father, it was Chuman who came forward to shoulder burden of the family that includes nourishing of the family, arranging medicines and other things for his ailing mother and study of his younger brother.
When it comes to the daily routine of Chuman, he wakes too early in the morning and finishes his daily chores. Then he takes out his bicycle and sets out to execute the assignment of his work as a newspaper hawker. He moves door to door to distribute daily news papers in the morning hours approximately between 5 am and 8 am.
After this work is finished, the kid returns home and prepares to attend school from 10 am to 4 pm. And after coming from school, he again sets out for his another job. Chuman works in a cycle repairing shop from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Due to his age nobody was interested to employ him as a newspaper hawker because it will bring legal hassle. Yet, since the family was in dire need of a monetary source and Chuman was the only one in the family who can somehow manage this work, he got the job. He gets Rs 1,000 for this assignment per month. And he gets opportunity to attend his classes. And for the second profession of working in the cycle repair shop also he gets paid. And her mother informed that the owner of the cycle repair shop does not put any hard and fast rule for him. Rather although he was not employing Chuman initially, he allowed him to work in the shop so that the family can get some income.
Chuman’s mother informed that earlier they were living in a rented house. Yet, as they could not pay the rent they had not any other way but to make a house for them. Accordingly, her mother took some loan and constructed a one room house. So, now the family needs also to arrange the money for refund of this loan.
After the Municipality Chairman came to know about condition of the family, a team from Balangir Municipality was put on action. The team visited house of Chuman and took stock of the situation. The team that comprised of Councillors and others informed that necessary arrangement will be made soon so that the family will get Rs 1000 per month. And thus the boy will not need to work as a newspaper hawker. Besides, the team also assured that all other possible benefits will also be made for the family after discussing with the district administration.
Kalinga AI