By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: 15 year old Toyaba Begum may not have continued her studies for financial crunch of the family, but she is not like any other girl in the neighbourhood. She has a dream to touch the sky and she is giving her best to chase it.
Toyaba has a new hope in the form of Manchurian Kung Fu. She wants to make it big. Thanks to Nari Artha Samajik Samity (NASS), a local NGO for providing these underprivileged girls an opportunity to try something different from their typical household works.
Toyaba Begum displaying her skills during a training session.
“I have been coming here for practice for the last two months and I’m quite excited with it. I have confidence that I will be able to make it a big one day,” said a smiling Toyaba during a break from her training.
Toyaba, a resident of Dakhin Gaon in a remote part of Guwahati had to stop going to school when her father met with an accident and had a fractured leg when she was in class VIII. She being the eldest of three siblings, her responsibility increased. But she has become more confident of proving her worth.
“We have number of problems in our home and in the neighbourhood. But it does not mean that we cannot achieve something in our lives. I also want to see myself at the top sometimes,” she added as she nurtures a dream to excel in the martial arts and take it as a career.
The camp was started in the month of May this year when NASS wanted to bring out these girls to increase their level of confidence so that they can brave all the odds in the society.
“One of the aims and objective of the NGO is uplifting women mentally and physically so that they don’t have to depend on others for any safety reasons, and thus the martial arts session to strengthen them physically,” said Dipali Barman, secretary of NASS.
Toyaba is not alone in the battle field, there are 85 other girls, most of whom belong to under-privileged families to give her company. For Rumina Begum, her world is more tough as she has lost her parents at an early age and their memory haunt her every now and then. “I want to be self dependent. I don’t want to depend on others. I hope besides studying it will help me to be more confident and win the world around me,” said class VIII student Rumina as she broke down when she was asked about her family.
Girls undergoing training under the guidance of trainer Rana Sinha
Though the free training camp lasts for six months, seeing the spirit of the girls the trainer Rana Sinha wants to continue it for longer period of time. “Surprisingly, these girls have shown interest in the sport. I am also enjoying my role to teach them a new art. So, I hope I will be able to continue the training camp for further,” Rana said.
The girls get the training twice in a week in Dakhin gaon area. The girls’ participation in large numbers most of whom belong to the Muslim community also prove that parents no more want their daughters to be inside their home.
“In general our people do not allow girls to move freely, but it is nice to see that girls from our community are participating in the martial arts camp in large number, I urge parents to send the girls for such training rather than keeping them indoors,” said Ratubi Begum, a guardian who accompanied her daughter to training camp.
[Pic: Abdul Gani]