Disabled child’s grit inspires community to break barriers
We've all heard a story and fantasized about a disabled child or person. Here is the tale of Suresh Maghwal, a disabled child who is driven to succeed like everyone else and provide a good life for his parents.
I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is not.
Story Of Disable Child : Suresh
Suresh, who resides in the Gogunda block village of Majam, is not like other youngsters his age. Since birth, he has been a disabled child. Suresh is unable to move correctly because he drags his feet. Despite this, he walks alone to school every day; such is this child's love of learning. He is differently abled, but he does not let his handicap prevent him from doing what he desires. He enjoys writing, though it is challenging for him because his hands tremble while writing. However, unlike the stories of other differently-abled children, Suresh's is both uplifting and unexpected. We discovered this while questioning the director of the upper elementary school, Madam Seema.
Suresh's way of being
We headed to his house to find out more about him. Suresh is a member of the Meghwal tribe, whose customary occupation is skinning dead animals to create footwear. Many Meghwals continue to work in their customary trade. Suresh is the family's only kid. His father possesses a small plot of property on which he cultivates and raises goats. The small piece of ground (about 0.3 hectares) allows him to produce enough food to support his family during one of the two cropping seasons. His family does not cultivate Rabi products due to a shortage of water. His father works as a labourer in the city during that time of year. His mother owns a modest grocery store, and the two of them reside in a kutcha house constructed under the Chief Minister's housing plan.
Reconsider the "No Detention Policy"
Several individuals have criticized the RTE Act's "No Detention Policy" for a variety of reasons. However, Suresh's scenario makes us probably reconsider the policy's benefits. Suresh is presently available in class IV, but he is unable to read or write in order to complete any kind of test (be it written or oral). He has been permitted to pursue his education because of the 'No Detention Program' until now.
Also Read: Women Empowerment in Rural India: A Journey of Change
"I am confident that if I fail him, he will quit the school instantly." He does not want his handicap to be an excuse for not studying. "Even though he can't handle a chalk or a pen correctly, he'll keep trying until he writes it," Seema said. "I wish RTE had some specific accommodations for disabled childs like Suresh," she went on to say.
His mother wants him to study, but she is concerned that his poverty and handicap will prevent him from completing his education. "It is Mother Seema's inspiration that drives me to send him to school," his mother explained.
By Prakash Gupta
