Rahul

16 year old Rahul (pictured above) grew up in a small farming village in the district of Bihar. His parents worked as tenant farmers, earning just enough to manage each day.

He shares, "In the village, my parents used to do farming. We didn’t have our own land — they worked in the landlord's fields.”

A fire that changed everything

In 2017, when Rahul was still very young, a sudden fire swept through the family’s home.

“There was a fire in our house in the village. I don’t know how it started because I was very small.”

The blaze destroyed everything they owned. With nothing left to rebuild and few options in the village, the family made the difficult decision to leave their home behind. Rahul’s elder brother was already living in Delhi with their aunt, and he helped the family to relocate. Soon, Rahul, his parents and two of his sisters made the long journey to the capital, starting over in a city they barely knew.

Starting again in Delhi

At first, the family stayed in the aunt’s home. But the space was cramped, and it was hard not to feel like extra weight on an already stretched household. He shares,

“When we were living at our aunt’s house, there wasn’t enough space. Sometimes it felt like we had become a burden to them.”

Eventually, Rahul’s family built their own temporary shelter, which provided them with a greater sense of independence. Finding work in Delhi wasn’t easy. Rahul’s parents spent weeks searching for jobs before they found something steady. His mother found employment with a sanitation company and his father now works as a gardener, maintaining public parks across the city. Rahul continues,

“Father works as a gardener now — he goes to the parks and takes care of them.”

Before the fire, Rahul had reached Grade 8 in school. But the move to Delhi meant his education came to a sudden stop. He shares,

“I studied till Grade 8 in the village, but after the fire, we moved to Delhi and I had to stop studying.”

Adjusting to the fast‑paced city was challenging. Rahul missed his old school and the familiarity of village life. Reflecting on this time he shares,

“Before coming to the centre, I used to just roam around without purpose.”

A new path forward

Things began to change when Rahul met Toybox's local partner, CHETNA in 2022. Through guidance and support, Rahul found structure and confidence again. A project worker shares, "Since joining the project, Rahul has demonstrated remarkable growth across various aspects of his life. When he first joined, his academic foundation was quite weak, so the initial six months were dedicated to strengthening his basic learning skills. This focused support enabled him to begin engaging with the school curriculum more effectively. He has since been promoted to Grade 9."

Rahul continues, "I’ve learned how to talk respectfully to elders, maintain cleanliness, and help those in need — all of this I learned here.”

With the project's help, Rahul restarted his education, a milestone he is incredibly proud of. He adds,

“The education I had to leave behind has now started again.”

His dreams have grown too. Rahul wants to join the Indian Army one day. He shares,

“When I grow up, I want to become an army officer and protect the nation.” If that dream doesn’t come true, he hopes to pursue a career in sports instead.

Pictured below: Rahul at the project.

A young leader

Since his involement at the project, Rahul’s understanding of the world has deepened. He now makes conscious choices to stay away from negative influences and encourages others to do the same. He explains,

“I don’t engage in bad things like substance abuse, and if someone does, I try to guide them towards the right path.”

One of the most powerful moments in his journey came recently when he intervened to stop a child marriage in his community. He shares,

“I’ve become so aware that just two weeks ago, I stopped a child marriage.”

When the girl’s mother resisted, Rahul gently explained the dangers of early marriage — first to her, then to the girl. He adds, “After a lot of explaining, she finally agreed.”

Rahul credits this courage to his involvement in Badhte Kadam, a platform that promotes child leadership and advocacy. He shares,

“I’m also part of the Balaknama newspaper. That’s where I learned about child leadership and advocacy. Stopping that marriage was only possible because of what I learned through that platform.”

Looking to the future

Rahul now sees himself not just as a student, but as someone who can guide and protect others. He shares,

“I’ve started to understand even the small things. If someone does something wrong, like stealing or using substances, I try to explain to them that it’s not right.”

He dreams of one day becoming a Balaknama reporter, determined to share real stories from children like himself.

“I want to become a Balaknama reporter so I can bring the stories of children like me to the world.”

Above all, Rahul hopes to use his experiences to lift others up. He concludes,

“I want to become someone who can help other children who don’t have much.”

Pictured below: Rahul in his community.