Didi by Shaheen Mistri (Detailed Summary)

                                                                     Didi

                                                             Shaheen Mistri

Detailed Summary 

          Didi is the true story of Shaheen Mistri which is narrated by herself. In the beginning, Shaheen Mistri tells that at the age of 12, she was seriously thinking about her dream. She did not know what is her dream. In1983, while she was living in Jakarta in her colonial home, she visited an orphanage which changed her life. In that orphanage, she met children who were weeping, laughing, silent and yelling. From there onwards, her perception about the world had been changed. She understood that she was leading a comfort and cosy life while so many children of her age were leading a pathetic life.

          During Shaheen Mistri's summer holidays, she used to come to Mumbai where she did volunteering at “The Happy Home” and “School for the Blind”. Gradually she began to notice inequalities which were faced by people who were coming from different walks of life. While she was in her car, she used to see small kids who were begging for food. She also noticed a poor woman who was separating “dal” and “rice” from wasted food which were dumped on the streets for her family.

          Another incident that happened was in 1989. In one of her summer vacations, she was sitting in a taxi. Suddenly three children came to the window of her car asking for food. This incident changed her life. She even underwent an identity crisis.

          Finally when Shaheen Mistri's summer holidays were about to over, she called her parents to inform them that she was not returning to Boston but would spend the rest of her life in India. But her parents laid out two conditions: she would get an admission in the best college in India for under-graduation and should go abroad for studying graduation.

          For doing graduation, Shaheen Mistri opted St. Xavier's College where her parents did their higher education. She somehow got admission there. While she was doing graduation there, she realised the difference of Indian education system and western education system.  Indian education system promoted “bookish form of learning” while the western education system promoted “academic rigour” and “intellectual stimulation”.

          Since Shaheen Mistri found out that she could not know anything about the real India through books, she began to explore the “city” and places where “low-income community” lived. One day she visited a“low-income community” where 10,000 people live with no water, “no system of waste disposal” and “shared six dark cubicle toilets”. On that day, she met an 18-year-old girl named Sandhaya with whom Shaheen Mistri established a good bond. Everyday she visited her and she began to teach her and other children of that place. She taught them “a little” English, “a little” math and a song. They called her “Didi, Didi”.

          Shaheen Mistri wanted to start an organization to teach 'underprivileged' children. She understood that India had people who were ready to teach kids, had spaces which could be used as classrooms and government was providing so many funds for giving better education to children. This helped her to form Akanksha. She also realised that “people in the community” need housing, water and education which meant that she would get kids who were ready to acquire knowledge.

           In order to start the functioning of Akansha, Shaheen Mistri went to twenty school to give her a classroom for teaching 'underprivileged' children for three hours in the evening. But most of the school authorities demotivated her. But when she decided to give up, the principal of the Holy Name High School in Colaba gave her a classroom. Thus it became the first Akanksha centre. Volunteers from St. Xaviers College taught kids in that school.

          Akanksha Foundation was formally established in 1991. Earlier there were only 15 students. Later Akanksha Foundation had flourished. Under this foundation, 3500 children are studying in 58 centres in 6 schools. These children learn basic English, Maths, values, self esteem and confidence. This excerpt is taken from “Redrawing India” by Shaheen Mistri and Kovid Gupta.