MY FRIEND BECAME MY ENENY !

The story of a boy in Uttarakhand

“I used to love this river. It was so beautiful. Its water was clean and clear. It flows right in front of our home. I was born here. I grew up with its sweet sound always in my ears. My mother bathed me here daily even when I was a baby. We learned to swim almost the same time as I learned to walk.

“When I got a scolding I would come to the river. I would sit there for some time. It made me feel good again. After all, it is a sacred river. So many people come here from far places in India. They bathed in it and got God’s blessings.

“All that changed completely this June. We were all inside our house as it was raining heavily. The radio said that the water in our river was rising. It was dangerous.

“We could hear the roar below us. But, was it really dangerous? We went out of the house to take a look. Policemen were telling people to leave the houses. They said we should go up the hills behind us.

“We were afraid. People were shouting, screaming and crying. Some did not want to move. The water was rising fast. We could see that. My father told us to run to the hill behind our house. He would not let us go back into the house. We ran without taking anything.

“I really miss my books, my clothes and my toys. I lost everything with our house. I stood there and saw it. This river was my friend. It was my playground. It was a god. That day it became a DANAV (a monster). It swallowed my home. It took all that I loved.

“I just don’t like the river any more. I hate it. I fear it. I do not like the rain any more. Teacher used to tell us that god only punishes sinners; but, I have not done any sin. My family is good. So why are we punished?

“I thought I can never go to school anymore. I had no more books, no uniforms. I knew we had no money for school fees. Even if I had, what was the use? I would be almost alone in the school. Most of my friends have nothing.

“I am a little happier now. I saw a list on the school notice-board. You (BOSCONET) have paid the fees of 213 students of our school. We will all study again. Thank you also for the uniforms and textbooks. I know you are helping in other schools, too.

“I could not have hoped for the solar lamp you gave us. I can now study in the evenings, too! Let us hope it works till the government repairs our electric lines.

“Please say thanks to BOSCONET. Say thanks to the children of Bengal, who gave you all this money. May God bless them, and all others who helped. If, one day, some bad thing happens to them, we, the children of Uttarakhand will remember what they did for us. We will do the same for them.”

As narrated by Azim (9 years) to Angel Zimik and Debangshu Ganguly, staff of BOSCONET, New Delhi. They may be contacted at: angelkunzimik@gmail.com or debangshug@gmail.com or bosconetindia@gmail.com or 011-25390585 or on the toll free number 1800 300 200 50. BOSCONET is still collecting help and distributing it in Uttarakhand where, in June 2013, a cloudburst and floods took over 6,000 lives and wiped out houses, property and infrastructure.