A few weeks ago, we heard of a 14-year-old boy started selling tea after his mother lost her job amid the pandemic. The teenager named, Subhan, started selling tea in Nagpada, Bhendi Bazar, and other areas in Mumbai, to support his family.
Now, hundreds have offered to help him through his troubles after the story went viral.?In his interview with Humans of Bombay, the boyrevealed that his mother became the sole breadwinner in their family after hisfather died suddenly of a heart attack.
"She would work odd hours and never took any offsbecause she wanted to provide for us. She gracefully took on Abbu's role aswell and never let me or my sisters feel his absence," he said.
Strict about his studies, she once sat her son down after henearly failed Geography and told him that only education would help him pavethe way to a better future.
¡°Ammi has been the sole breadwinner of the family for twelve years now; ever since Abbu suddenly passed away of a heart...
Posted by Humans of Bombay on Monday, November 9, 2020
"She told me that she wants to see me join the AirForceas a Fighter Pilot. Seeing that glee of hope in her eyes, I made that dream myown and started studying very hard. My grades improved and my attendance became100%," said the young boy.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic - which affectedthousands of small businesses and put a number of daily wage earners out ofwork - also affected this family. The young boy's mother lost her job, and theycouldn't afford to send him to school after that.
"One month into the lockdown, we had no money at all,even my piggybank was empty," he said.
"Paranthe waale uncle was kind enough to give me acorner. I make my tea at his stall and then bring it across the street to servethe shop owners," the boy says, adding that everyone is nice to him - buthis mother blames herself.
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"I don't understand why-all these years she's the onewho taught us to put family first, so why is it wrong when I'm doing it? Maybeshe's worried that I won't become a Fighter Pilot. But I promise you Didi, Iwill go back to school," he concludes.