"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
Maya Angelou

“People who believe us, offer help. On a good day, we manage to get around five to ten kgs of rice or flour. For our family of 8, this lasts about ten days. On an even better day, we are handed a big bar of Cadbury Silk as well, which Tasleem devours in less than 4 minutes. But we don’t have a favourite food. Chutney-roti, namak-roti or anything else that is really good, like this chocolate. It is all the same for us.” 

“Something interesting about myself?... I don’t know anything about myself. I like playing Cricket. Sameer and I used to play together. But now he has gone back to his village. I think he was my best friend. And when I grow up, I want to sell balloons! Is this interesting?“ 

“Thinking ahead is a luxury we cannot afford. We have been moving all our life. From Badarpur border to Nevada to Aligarh and now Okhla. There could actually be talks of eviction happening as we speak. And we will have to move again.“

“Education would have stopped us from spreading our hands, it would have definitely kept us off the street. Sometimes we are rudely spoken to, sometimes we are pushed but worse, sometimes men look at us like we’re an easy target. But now education feels too distant a dream to fathom for us. We were born into this reality. But this little one will not beg, she will go to a Madrasa to study.“

“Tomorrow, we start all over again. The usual. At 10:00 am, we will leave home in Okhla to embark on our 11:00 am to 4:00 pm kind of adventure.“