From Barbecue Smoke to Blackboard Dreams

In poverty’s grip, Omar’s struggle for education

In the sleepy lanes of Palhalan, 16-year-old Omar Ganai (Name Changed) walks every morning to a Government Higher Secondary School in his villagr with a quiet determination that belies the storms he has weathered.
A student of Class 11th, Omar is not just chasing marks, he is pursuing a life that his father could never dream of offering.
“I studied up to Class 5th at the local school,” says Omar. “Then I had to leave home. My parents couldn’t support my education. I moved to a Child Care Institution. But it wasn’t so simple. I couldn’t concentrate on my studies there.”
His father, Ghulam Ahmad Ganai, a physically disabled man struggling with crushing poverty, had no option. “I sell barbecues from a cart in the evenings,” says Ghulam Ahmad. “That’s all I can do. I have three children. There’s no fixed income, no own house. I had to admit Omar to a Child Care Institution since I couldn’t manage school fees or books.” Ghulam Ahmad’s battles are not unique. These are inscribed in the lives of thousands of families in Jammu and Kashmir who are fighting to provide their children with education under stringent economic conditions. But in the case of Omar, hope knocked on the door in the form of “Human Welfare Voluntary Organisation” (HWVO).
“We encountered Omar on one of our routine visits to a Child Care Institution,” Sabaat, District Coordinator with HWVO, remembers. “He said he wanted to go back home and study in a nearby school. He was definite about his aspirations, and that provided us with clarity regarding what had to be done.” HWVO intervened, offering not just counselling but also monthly financial assistance to the Ganai family.
Their intervention assisted in the reintegration of Omar into his community and family, providing a means of return to normalcy and education. Omar now attends school well, but the journey ahead is long and uncertain without ongoing assistance. “HWVO has been assisting us, and I am thankful,” Omar says. “But I still require assistance to study further. My father is not able to
work full-time. If only people could contribute small amounts and help me out, I know I can achieve something in life.” Ghulam Ahmad makes a similar appeal. “All that I earn goes towards my children’s schooling. I might not have a decent house to provide them with, but I want to provide them with a future. If people are supportive, my children can complete school. They can live a life that I never
experienced,” he says.
For HWVO, Omar is but one of countless children whom they aim to empower. But every child, they assert, is a universe unto himself – full of aspirations, possibility, and hope. “Omar wishes to study. He has the desire,” Sabaat says. “But desire alone is not sufficient when poverty weighs
heavy upon one. We appeal to altruistic individuals to come and assist. Books, stationery, and even money – no small gift can alter the path of a child.”
In the ashes of his father’s barbecue stand and the dim light of midnight study, Omar Ganai is etching out a future. With your support, that future can shine brighter. To help fund Omar and kids like him, contributions may be made through HWVO. Your gift is more than charity – it’s an investment in a child’s education, self-worth, and aspirations.