(The AICUFer is a publication of the Aicuf unit based at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Since many may not get their hands on a copy of this magazine, we will be putting up articles from The AICUFer for you!)

One Stitch at a Time…
- As told to Rochelle Fernandes (Source: The AICUFer)

I am Sahebro, a cobbler by profession.  I have three sons and a wife.  I also have a brother who is in an office, but does not offer any help and has no concern with my family.  My wife is working in the fields at a village in Amravati.  She stays with my two younger sons.  My eldest son has studied only till Class 10.  I have no money for his further education, so he works here along with me. 

My father brought me to Mumbai.  He was earlier in this profession.  He taught me to mend shoes, which took me 2 years to learn. I have been a cobbler for 40 years.  My earnings for the month is are not fixed- somewhere between Rs. 400 to 500 per month.  It is a hand to mouth existence.  I can’t save any money.  I sleep on the streets.  I have tea twice a day, and vada pav for lunch and dinner at G.T.  Hospital canteen on L.T Marg.

I put a plastic sheet as a roof during  rains and have no choice but to work in the heat of the sun during summer.  Sometimes people park their cars in front of my workplace, this obstructs my work as customers can’t notice me. When I request them to park elsewhere, they refuse and show no sympathy.   The BMC is another problem. When they take away my things, I have to buy them from Chor Bazar,  It is very  expensive for me.  Sometimes, they even ask for Rs. 2000-3000, but I am unable to pay that amount so they leave me.

Most people have no respect for me.  Since I work only few steps away from St. Xavier’s College, I have many college students coming to get their shoes mended,  but their attitude is different  from the rest.  They talk to me with a lot of respect and say “Thank you Uncle”  while leaving.  It make me feel really special.

In my village, I did not even have a house.  So the government provided me with a house through a housing scheme for the poor.  After that I did not receive any more facilities- electricity, water supply etc. They are concerned only with their votes.  I do not have a ration card in Mumbai.  I get kerosene and other commodities but have no means to utilize it.  Because of my work I get a lot of cuts on my hand and my eyesight is also getting weaker.

I have no interest of anything and no hope of life.  I will leave this job, if my son gets a better one.  But there are dreams that  will not come true.

I feel that there is a lot of class difference  between the rich and the poor. The poor have no rest at all  in this world. I will get rest only when I leave this world forever.