This story about a 22 year old from Chennai, India will touch your heart and make you look at the street children from a different perspective.
This is a story about Jayavel, a 22 year old, who grew up begging on the streets of Chennai and today he just finished a course in automobile engineering from Cambridge University.
Jayavel’s family migrated from Nellore in the 80s after a failed crop season and to find a living started begging in the streets of Chennai.
“We used to sleep on one such pavement. If it would rain, we would try to find other shelter in any nearby shop until the cops came and chased us out of there.” Jayavel says.
Jayavel lost his father when he was very young and his mother became an alchohol addict. He had just one shirt to wear and he never looked clean. Begging was the only thing he thought was his destiny.
The turning point came when Uma Muthuraman of Suyam Trust spotted Jayavel and offered to help. Uma, along with her husband, was working on a project about the lives of children on the streets of Chennai when they met Jayavel. Initially, Jayavel and his family were hesitant but finally in 1999, Uma succeeded in taking him under her wings. He was then admitted into a school.
He scored well in his 12th standard examinations and later cleared Cambridge University’s entrance as well. He got himself a seat in Glyndwr University in Wales, and studied ‘Performance Car Enhancement Technology Engineering’, a course that deals with enhancing performance of race cars.
Next, Jayavel is headed to Italy for further studies. He is a living example and sure to inspire many who want to make their life better.
