This morning I visited the Yamuna Centre. As we drove down the mud track that reaches our centre I saw the families sitting grief stricken amidst their belongings scattered shelter skelter have last week’s demolition drive. The families have put up plastic sheets on bamboo poles to protect themselves from the vagaries of the weather.
They sit desolate praying for a miracle, a miracle I know will never come. Over the years the authorities have come several times, broken all the dwellings. taken pictures to prove that they completed the task assigned to them and left. The families have rebuilt their fragile dwellings and carried on their life.
So. today they sat once again a little lost hoping that this will be just like the other times.
But we know that this time is different. Delhi’s masterplan is being reworked and the flood plains are to be transformed into parks and walking tracks. The directive has come from the Courts and there I nothing anyone can do.
For these families it is the loss of their livelihood as the fields where they use to grow vegetables will no longer be there. The areas are to be fenced The measurements have been taken. It is just a matter of time.
As we reached our centre that still stands the children were busy learning.
As they have been for the past 11 years!
They sat on the mats lost one their books, not thinking of what awaits them. Not knowing what lies ahead. All they know is that dreams can be fulfilled through learning. They have been their seniors who have passed out. One of them works for Project Why.
They have dreams.. They shared them with us. From fashion designer to teacher, to police officer to business owner, you name it, they dream it. But now they will move back to their villages. Most of them as staying without a livelihood is impossible. Rents are high and they need space to house all their agricultural equipment. There are not many options for them.
We will continue to teach them as long as they are there and our school is not demolished. Few say they will stay. We are waiting to see where they move to. We may open a new centre in that area. We plan to continue teaching them online is we can.
Right now everything is unclear.
My brave hearts are busy learning as much as they can.
God please conjure a miracle for them.