Farmer¡¯s Son Quits Engineering Job, Devotes Life To Educate Drought-Ridden Kids Of Maharashtra

Climate change is real, and its effects across the globe are evident. While scietists are looking for ways to minimise the damage, severe drought in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions in Maharashtra, and has affected 90 lakh farmers after a drought was declared in the state in more than 29,000 villages.

While several public figures and activists have cranked up their philanthropic activities to prevent farmer suicides and create amenities to fix the problem on hand, there¡¯s someone who¡¯s been working silently looking for opportunities to brighten the future of the community of farmers.

28-year-old Ashok Deshmane lives in Pune, with his wife, parents, and 25 of his children. Yes, as many as 25. He calls them his own because he has rescued and almost adopted the children of farmers, who live in severe drought-ridden areas.

Having been through the same childhood as the children currently living with him, Deshmane has left no stone unturned to teach these children life skills, and educate them from a scratch.

Ashok Deshmane and wife Archana

Fresh start for future

His initiative, called ¡®Snehwan¡¯, began after a while of trying and testing.

A resident of Parbhani, a drought affected, ¡°I have studied software engineering and was working in an IT software firm in Pune. I was getting constant updates about the drought in my village and the increasing number of suicides among farmers. I then began to donate 10 per cent of my monthly income to help the farmers,¡± Deshmane told us.

Children learning how to paint at Snehwan

He constantly worried about people back home and went back to see that the children roamed the streets, starving and unaware of anything that was out in the world.

¡°When I was in Pune around in 2014, I gave free tuitions to children from the slums around where I lived. However, those kids had to move away and I felt I could have done much more for them,¡± Deshmane said.

Children at Snehwan can read and write Marathi and English fluently

By the end of 2015, Deshmane decided that after having worked for 5 years in a reputed company, he wanted to quit his job and pursue this initiative.

¡°I got inspired by Baba Amte, one of the most known social activists in Maharashtra. I felt if I had the will I would find the way. I began working night shifts, and for 8 months I continued to work towards setting up this shelter. A friend of mine gave away his old house of 4 rooms for the children to live in, and I got Snehwan registered. However, the night shifts began affecting my health¡± so by August 2016, he quit his full-time job and dedicated himself to give quality education to the children.

The big fat happy family

Last year, Deshmane had about 18 kids complete a year and pass their exams with flying colours. He manages taking care of the children by fundraising online with Milaap and by word-of-mouth in and around Pune city. Deshmane has made sure that the kids get a holistic approach in education and learn all the life skills that any other mainstream schools provide.

Deshmane

The number of kids has grown to 25 this year and go to a school nearby to the small town of Bhosari in Pune where Deshmane and family live. While there was an initial resistance from his parents about this initiative, they too joined in and now supervise the kids and share stories of olden times as treating them like their grandchildren.

Archana Deshmane cooks for the kids

Deshmane got married in November 2016, and his wife Archana was more than happy to know about his cause and contribute to it. She cooks meals regularly for the one large family they have and is like a mother to them.

¡°My kids call my parents ¡®Ajji¡¯ and ¡®Ajoba¡¯, meaning grandmother and grandfather in Marathi. My father, in fact, teaches the students how to play tabla,¡± Deshmane said.

The kids are also taught painting, karate, yoga and group discussions as a part of their personality development. The children who are up to 15 years of age, Deshmane said, had once never known what a school is, ¡°and now read newspapers aloud fluently and use computers like professionals. I am amazed at what children can do once they get the proper platform,¡± he expressed.

The children are taken care of by Deshmane's mother as well

The Gen-Y farmers

With the destruction of crops and unpredictable rainfall in the hinterlands, lakhs of families have been destroyed, thereby leading the unguided youth towards a questionable future. Most farmers have been eloquent about the fact that their children do not wish to pursue farming as a profession due to the risks that are now involved.

To this, Deshmane said that he wishes to establish a formal educational institute to teach farmings and the technicalities and the science involved.

Kids learn karate near Deshmane

¡°The farmers of today learnt all of this traditionally. I believe that once the children are given knowledge of agriculture and farming formally, they would want to pursue this as a profession and not just follow a tradition by force,¡± he said.

Deshmane and his wife are now looking to increase the size of their family by bringing in more and more children to their little haven near Pune. ¡°But for that, we are also looking for a land around that is affordable and has a larger place to shelter more and more kids by the year. Having seen the same poverty they have, I want them to learn more and most of all, become better human beings,¡± Deshmane shared his heartfelt wish with us.