Visiting CSED

It was a difficult Monday. I was sad, alone, by myself, missing my husband, who left for Kuwait two days ago.
His absence made me feel sad; although I knew I will join him soon, but didn’t know when…

I left for office, thinking that it will change my mood.

I just forget, in the entire hush-hush episode of my husband’s departure, I had committed to visit Children Society for the Education of Deaf (CSED) http://www.csedmumbai.org/ with Komal and Gopal.

The visit to CSED was something that we were looking forward for quite sometime. My colleague, Komal, had participated in Standard Chartered Marathon and she was raising funds for CSED, in which her grandfather was a trustee. We helped her to get as much as collection possible as an equivalent contribution would be given by ICICI as she was participating in the corporate category.

Komal had talked so much about Mary aunty who looks after this school at Agripada Mumbai that we were looking forward for a visit.

Many thoughts came in my mind throughout the journey.
I was somewhere reluctant to donate in monetary terms, maybe that’s the reason why I my donations were so small.
Another wave of thought brought the lines of my brother, who always insist to donate atleast 1% of the salary.
My mother, in her days of earnings, as a teacher, would contribute half of the month’s school fees to two students in her class, who belonged families which just managed to send their children to schools.
In the midst of all these thoughts, I was missing my husband. So thought this would bring me a change. (It deed indeed)
Perhaps, this was my first ever visit to a charitable organization. Deep within my heart, I could just visualize some filmy scenes of aashrams and anathalay, forgot that this was a charitable school. (A sad mind could just imagine sad, dejected kids…).

I was so wrong. At first look, nobody could ever believe that this was a school for deaf. It was like any school in Bombay.

We were given a warm welcome. Mary aunty and her husband, who looks after this school as a legacy passed on by her father, took us around the classrooms in the school.

A brief about this school:
Run by Mary aunty and her husband, the school educated deaf kids. Usually kid born with the inability to hear, can’t speak properly and therefore faces difficulty to learn like a normal child. They use sign language to communicate and in some cases even the hearing aid comes to a great help.

Bombay has many families who can afford to educate kids with this special requirement and going to a normal school does not help kids to cope with the normal children.

CSED helps families, who hail from poor background, to enroll their child with special needs in hearing ability to get educate. The age of students range from 3 years to 10 years. Some of these children, later on, can join the normal school / college. Apart from education, kids are provided with meals, uniform, study material and even transportation.

There is play section, filled with toys. A creative room, where kids creative skills are enhanced, especially during festive seasons. We saw some of the craft, awesome was the only word to describe it.

There is a room, equipped with machines to test the extent of hearing inability in a kid so as to provide appropriate hearing aid.

There is a room for mothers, who come from suburbs, to stay till the school ends. Of course, during this time mothers are encouraged to help CSED in any possible way than doing household chore or gossips.

Mary aunty proudly showed the talents in their school and she was proud that one of her student was joining ICICI bank soon!!!

Someone said so true that ‘good things comes in small package’. I am falling short of words to describe this school, a visit is essential to get the feel of it.

It was such a different feeling seeing those sparkles in the lovely small eyes, there hands stretched to reach us, there small shops, there library, computer room, play section.

I was speechless and ashamed of what I expected it to be. These kids have so much of enthusiasm in them, they look forward to study to learn to talk to communicate with us…

Of course, all these efforts need money to operate, but felt better as even small contribution makes difference. I was ready to offer help in the accounts department for no salary. However, couldn’t commit as I might have to leave anytime to join my husband.

I had a good day visiting CSED.

Back home, I was feeling much better. A ray of thought of making difference to somebody’s life had broken the darkness within.

That day, monday morning blues showed me a different road. It did bring me a change, a change I was searching for…

I was learning to cope my seclusion, on thinking how can I make difference… difference that would make somebody’s living, their happiness and have a better life.

Thanks Komal for given me a different prospective. Thanks Gopal for pushing the team visit to CSED.

Thanks Mary Aunty and Uncle for that wonderful day with you and your extended family.

Thanks Brother was giving a direction.

And above all, thanks mom for proving small help does miracle.