Abu Dhabi: Nirad turned 10 yesterday, without a cake or party or his classmates wishing him. In fact, Nirad doesn’t go to a school, just like his elder sister and younger brother. Not that they don’t want to, but their father can’t afford it.
His 13-year-old sister had to drop out of school in 2014, when she reached grade 3 and his four-year-old brother never joined a school.
Their father, Shamsher Singh from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has been living without a job for more than a year.
It has been testing times for the 46-year-old man ever since he married Sri Lankan Fathuma Farsana, in 2000. He went against the will of his family and converted to Islam for his lady love. Now, his family of six brothers and four sisters has disowned him. Shamsher Singh became Shakeer to get married at Fathuma’s native place of Galle in Sri Lanka.
Shakeer had done many odd jobs during his 27-year stay in Abu Dhabi. He has worked as salesman, purchaser, time keeper, housekeeper and security supervisor. He kept trying for better salaried jobs as his family grew over the years. “At last, I thought I had settled with a steady job with City Transport. But in January 2015, I was given papers which said: ‘No more requirement of your position’.”
Following this, he wasn’t able to renew visas of his children and wife since last June.
His life, in his words, is ‘filled with struggle’. “I continue to fight without any support. My family is my strength but seeing my children missing school is terrible.”
His daughter Lalesha has studied only till Class III and Nirad hasn’t gone beyond KG 1. The youngest, Akshad, is four years and three months now. “My daughter was late admission to school. I had a low salary of Dh3,000-Dh4,000. I tried for bank loans for education purpose but couldn’t get one. I have debt here and can’t return to India. We can’t go to Galle as her family is in fact dependent on me. I have to fight and eke a living out here but it was very late when I realised that my children’s education and future is in turmoil,” the 46-year-old said.
Lack of schooling is unbearable for children, their mother said.
“My son stays inside the room during school hours. People would ask him why he hasn’t gone to school and that query would leave him heartbroken. Now he sits inside this room like in a jail till other children in the building return from their school,” Fathuma said about Nirad.
Lalesha said: “I miss my books and friends. I hope my brothers get to study.”
Shakeer does odd part-time jobs but couldn’t make enough to run a family. “There were occasions when we had to spend night on Corniche road.”
The family is staring at another crisis as they haven’t paid rent for 6-7 months. “The house owner has given a deadline of February 10. We are afraid of being back on the road.
Credit: Khaleej Times
