“My father left when I was 8.”

By Hina Hussain

“I am smart because I work seven days a week.”says Shabana happily as she sat down on a broken chair. From past ten years she had seen the different colors of life. Being the second eldest child in six siblings, she migrated from India to Karachi at the age of 20.Afzal and Parveen are the core reasons in her life.

“I want to see them settled and successful in my life.” She added as Afzal enter in the house.

Shabana used to have a Qingchi (motor bike rickshaw) from last 5 years which has now advanced to rickshaw.Before that she has experienced her skills on road by begging, stitchingclothes and even cleaning houses. Whatever she does, she does with full dedication. “Nobody ever calls me a MASSI.” She hides her tears in her big smile.

There were no relatives in Karachi as soon as she came with her two siblings. With no sandals, empty stomach, no clothes and not even a single penny in pocket, she sat on footpath wondering what’s going to happen next.

“My father left when I was 8.” She said while taking out a box. It was a wooden box containing letters and pictures. There are some letters her father had written to her mother.She remembered every bit of history. How her father lose the fight against cancer and how her mother had survived with six children. “Everything was lost since my father closed his eyes,and I didn’t remember the last time we all laughed together.” says Shabana as she glanced at the photo of her father.

Her struggle period startsby begging on the road and even cleaning the window of cars. With the passion of stitching she somehow managed to learn the skills while working in house as maid. “My day begins with a smile and it ends when it is reflected on the face of my siblings.” Shabana said as she serves tea in clay cups (Matti ke pyala).

“Dear! The trend of educating girls isn’t follow in our homes.”She admits. She was only able to continue her studies till 8^th grade. There was nobody to support their family. The days were spent from hand to mouth. Therefore, she devotedly worked from dawn to dusk just to feed her siblings. Neither she looked back nor she step backward from any hurdle.

“I am thankful to my neighbors for helping us in hard times.” She was a religious woman with strong faith in Allah and with all His blessings her brother was doing part time job at workshop, while her sister is completing her studies. The total luxury in their house includes two bed (charpai’s), two chairs and the third one is slightly broken accompanied by a stove which is at the right corner from entrance. Shabana and her younger sister Parveen have a craze to clean the house. They have decorated their home with different clay pieces.

My daily earning is sometimes given to constables. Besides the amount spent on the vehicle maintenance, total income that I take home is around 150-200 rupees. “Parveen and afzal, both loves to eat gulab jaman, so every Friday It’s a treat from my side.”

“I was always inspired by novels and one day, I wonder one day I will write a novel.” She acknowledges her mother’s dream. All the happy days spent in India were now memories; here she has to work every day in order to help her family.

In her early days when she started to drive rickshaw, she was shy and confound. Like in our society women aren’t personally appreciated for this task. Facingall the comments and the taunts said by public she dedicatedly worked. Sometimes the constables also try to deviates her. But beside all these hardships, she was now strong enough to fight against it.

Today, when she relaxes and gives a thought at past all she can see is how smoothly she has made her way out from the hurdles and now she lives a respectable life.

“I believe that women can accomplish whatever she stands for.” She said as she say goodbye.