February, 1997 : Little Vicky had started going to school. I was so proud of him and happy because my baby is going to receive a formal education, the thing I wanted to get most but couldn’t.

He looks smart and cute in school uniforms and every day before going to school he told me that he would teach me whatever he learnt at school. Waiting for his school van had become my most important job. I feel bored at home because I had nothing to do.

Domestic chores are no work for me; I can just finish them in a second. I was feeling bored without my playmate, my little Vicky. I try to help Vicky with his homework, thanks to tamo Naren.

I had learnt basic alphabets so I try to teach him in my best possible way because I knew that after some days my knowledge won’t be sufficient enough to enlighten him.

I teach him A,B,C..1,2,3....

Vicky got an A+ in his weekly test. I was so happy, so proud. Aunty says all the credit goes to me!

I became more enthusiastic, my thirst for knowledge was blooming inside me like a volcano, ready to explode any time. I wish I had been educated enough to help Vicky with his final exams preparation, left alone educated enough to become a small time teacher.

This was all that i wish for. But my knowledge had already exhausted!

How I wish that every single child.. who study not to enlighten themselves but for namesake...whose parents invested thousands for their education would contribute a penny each for us (we unfortunate children of lesser God)so that our thirst for knowledge would be quenched.

September 18, 1997 : My misfortune seeking younger sister, a victim of self imposed child marriage had a miscarriage. Now why did my hated juvenile brother-law-need to inform me??

C’mon, it was not my problem. I am already loaded with my own problems and unanswered questions.

What do they expect, that I would come and take care of her, ease their worries, ease her pain.

I had no time for that though I had ample amount of time nowadays. As you sow you shall reap! I don’t care, call me selfish or hard hearted.

September 19, 1997: I took the first bus to Moirang......bringing all my savings from the day I landed on my second home(it was a tempting 3000 bucks).....

To be continued ....

NOTE:
There is strong opposition against child labour in the entire world and mostly in the third world country. In our very own state manipur,there is a common practise of giving away innocent children as domestic helpers by the poor parents. Some are lucky enough to be treated as the children of the new home while some children have to face the brutality from their "new home".

But even if the childrens are being adopted as the children of the new home,what about the innocence that they have to compromise with by exposing them to the various facets of life at an early age? Every one of these children have a story of their own which is as important as anyone of our life story.

They are the unsung heroes who had learnt to face life"s challenges since early childhood. My story is an adaptation from the real life story of one of the domestic helper whom I know and had grown up with though the names and certain events have been slightly modified.