#1 Story - I Volunteered

I Volunteered - Organized by Revolution Flame in collaboration with GURU TEES.

There's this Aaya Jii (Maid) at our university, I often talk to her in between my classes and I knew how tough life she is living. How she struggles every day and honestly works hard to support her family. Her husband is a drunk, he doesn't work and lives off of her.

Yesterday I sat down with her and just started to talk for "I-Volunteered" . It was kindda sad to begin with because when we started talking she kinda opened up and told me how she lost her only son a few months ago. He was only a few months old, he got sick and due to lack of knowledge, personal hygiene and money they couldn't take care of him and he died, or rather he was killed by the husband (or so she stated).

 
She did get him some medicine and he did seem to be getting better, she left for work and when she came back her son lay on THE FLOOR, dead. He wasn't even in the same room where she left him with her daughter before leaving. The daughter was in the kitchen making tea for her father as if she knew nothing and the husband said (It’s Good That He Died, What had I To Do To Raise Him, Moreover I Don’t Have Anything For Myself, I Hope She Dies Too) "acha hova marr gya, paal k karna bhi kia ta is ko. apne lye kuch nahi hy tau. Allah kre ye bhi mar jaye (adressing to his daugter)".

Due to his drinking and abusive nature, She was afraid to take a step or get a divorce. She feared that he might get angry and hurt her or her daughter so she remained silent for what's left of her family. She says she's waiting for her daughter to get married and settle down and then she'll take some step against him. Since her husband doesn't work and the salary she gets by working at the university isn't enough, she gathers plastic bottles and other plastic utensils from around the campus, carries those heavy bags in this heat while fasting and sells them off for a little extra money. I walked all the way to her house that day and helped carry those bags as well. I sent iftaar at her house as well and today, since I got off by the same time she did, I dropped her off at her house.

The tears she shed while talking to me made my heart melt, I felt happy that I helped her out in a way that she had someone to talk to and I understood the real purpose behind "i-volunteered".

I might not be able to do much for her right now, but I am working on it. Maybe even help her in educating her daughter. But the least I could do right now, what's in my power is that I drop her off at her house after university so she doesn't have to walk such a long distance with those bags in this heat.

Submitted by: Anonymous