Khushi

A day with just tea in her tummy used to be a common reality for 10 year old Khushi, who lives in a slum community right next to the railway tracks in Delhi, India with her family. Life has been difficult since her father died when she was very little, after he and Khushi’s mother made the hard decision to move from their rural village to Delhi in search of more work opportunities to support the family.

Over the years, three of her older sisters have married and left home, and although this has helped to alleviate some pressure on her mother, the income she receives from her jobs as a domestic worker still barely stretches to keep Khushi and her brother and other sister fed. Khushi shares some of her story here in her own words and describes how her life has changed since she met CHETNA, Toybox’s partner in India.

"My father came to Delhi in search of a job opportunity from Bihar and settled here. I was born in these slum areas and right from childhood, I was here. It’s very difficult and challenging for my family to arrange all the needs for us all.After the death of my father, the situation became extremely difficult. Despite working all throughout the day, my mother couldn’t earn enough money. My older sister works too – she brings utensils from shops and small roadside carts home and washes the, - in return, she gets about 650 rupees (£7) per month to contribute to our family income."

"I’ve been on the streets pretty much since I was born. Every day, I wake up at 6am, wash and make tea. After tea, I go to school from 7.30am until 1pm. In the afternoon, I used to home and sometimes play with friends before going to get water with my sister. Then, my mum would cook if we had good and we’d all eat together. After that, we’d go with my sister to get the utensils to wash to take back that same night ready for the next day.

In February this year (2022), I got to know CHETNA during their outreach project. I was interested in studying and as a result, I started coming to the learning centre regularly. I have my Aadhar card (ID card) so CHETNA was able to help me enrol in official school. I feel very happy that now I have the opportunity to attend school regularly. At the project I also get food which means I eat more regularly."

“Before I was involved in the project, I’d either eat light snacks or stay hungry. Sometimes I asked my sister for food – she’s married but lives nearby. She sometimes asks for 5 rupees to buy a biscuit for me as she isn’t always cooking until late when her husband gets home. Sometimes too, me and my younger sister would cook together if we had the ingredients at home – sometimes making roti to eat with leftover vegetables from the day before.” Khushi

"My mother heads to work at 8am and comes back at 5pm and it’s then that she cooks if we have food. Until then, I’ve been dependent on the food provided by CHETNA which I eat at the centre in the afternoon. Now I’ve got admission to school, I also get a lunch meal at school too.

My favourite food is spicy food. I like eating dal, roti and chicken best. If I were a leader, I would ensure that every child gets a healthy diet and that no one ever had to sleep on an empty stomach. Children should always get regular food. My mom leaves for work and receives very little money, which is not enough to run a household of four. It’s very difficult to manage the household. It is very challenging to provide nutritious food. We even don't get food twice a day. I would make sure everyone gets two times the amount of food they need."

“At the project, my life has changed. Now I have a proper routine in my daily life. I attend regular school and go to the centre to study as well as get my food.” Khushi

"Gradually I’m learning new things and becoming better day by day. Now, I like Maths, especially addition and subtraction. I also know that schools is important for everyone. Only by attending school can one fulfil their dreams, whether it’s becoming a doctor, a police officer, a teacher, a soldier…

At the centre, we children feel safe since there are different workshops about child rights, good touch and bad touch, how to stay safe, the child helpline etc. When children are together, we feel much safer. Plus. When there are activities and programmes organised for us in our communities, we feel happy!

Out on the streets, we’re afraid of child trafficking, substance abuse, alcohol consumption, molestation and muggings, all of which are very common in my community. If I were the Prime Minister, I would ensure that everyone had their own concrete house to stay safe in, proper sanitation and a crime-free community."

“For me, the most important things in life are to continue my studies and to grow up well to be able to support my family.” Khushi