Daily Times

Childhood is a golden period of one’s life. It is full of beautiful memories and joys with family and friends. However, garbage collector Hamza Makamalis is among those unfortunate children who are not even blessed with a beautiful childhood. His childhood cannot be praised by poets and writers as it revolves around heaps of garbage, germs and smell.

Carrying a big bag, the 10-year-old reveals the whole ordeal of his life. One is surprised to learn how well he can communicate in English.

Last year, he said, he was a student of grade four. He had to leave studies because of the worsening financial situation of his family.

The story of Hamza and other garbage collectors is almost the same. His father is a driver and mother is working as a housemaid. He has two brothers and a sister. Being the eldest, he now has to support his family. He is paid to roam around streets to collect plastic and paper. He manages to earn around Rs 3,000 per month.

Just take a short trip down the street with him to see how difficult such children’s lives are. They search for and separate garbage during the whole day. They are always searching trash bins. It is really very difficult to stand for a few minutes near trash for us. However, this is just a part of their lives. Adding to the misery of these children are infections and diseases. Most of them are exposed to sexual abuse at an early age.

Like so many others, the life of Hamaza is bitter. His younger brother and sister are also out of school. The family is thinking of enrolling their children at a government-run school situated near by their home at Samli Dam Rood, Bharakhue.

“The government school provides free books. We only have to buy notebooks and pencils,” Hamza said. He wants to go school, but the low income of his family and the environment in which he is living does not support him to fulfill his dreams.

Under the Prime Minister’s Education Reforms Programme, schoolbooks, uniforms and shoes are being provided to the students of government-run schools. It is a good initiative for low income families.

However, there are many people like widows, security guards, labourers and drivers who earn only a few thousand rupees.

Their monthly income is just around Rs 7,000. It is difficult for them to buy even notebooks and stationery for their kids. Most of these people prefer to tell their children to start working to meet both ends meet.