Dharamchand
Dharamchand
Dharamchand – When Dharamchand goes home from BSS, his day has only yet begun. At thirteen years old, he is already skilled in different kinds of paid work. Dharamchand works exceptionally hard in order to support his large family of 6 brothers and 2 sisters. His father works as a manual laborer carrying bricks and sand on his head for construction projects, while his mother is restricted to staying in the house due to psychological disturbances.
Most nights Dharamchand works in the darkness of the village weaving the first basic strings of the famous silk saris of Benares. The strings are wrapped manually around two poles, which are positioned 5 meters apart from each other. Walking in the dark, Dharamchand works with other children to produce the base of what will eventually be made into a costly and beautiful garment. During the wedding season, Dharamchand earns about Rs 60 ($1.50) by carrying a decorated tube light on his head. He joins the procession of the groom to the ceremony, surrounding crowd of people dancing as they make their way. The hours for this work usually start in the afternoon and finish as late as 2 am, which means that he is tired the next day in school. Still, Dharamchand manages to be an excellent student and finds adequate time for his studies. BSS and the scholarship program offer him the hope of new opportunities, a fact that motivates him to strive.
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