- by Janie Lee
Sunil Jathar is 19 years old and hails from a small village called Rajur Gahpanti in the district of Jalha. When he reached the 10th pass, he ranked 2nd and thoroughly enjoyed school. Although Sunil was fully capable and determined to complete his education, he could not afford the exam fees of 50 rupees and subsequently had to drop out of school. He mentions that he had never held 500 rupees in his hand during his youth.
Sunil’s entire family faced financial hardships as they
lived in a small shed in the village. His father and mother were laborers
earning less than 2000 rupees a month to support a family of six. His older
brother maintained a job as a construction worker and his younger brother and
sister were both farmers. In order to contribute to his family’s wellbeing,
Sunil took a job cleaning dishes for 10 rupees a day. Although Sunil got a
better job as a laborer breaking stones, he still was unable to help support
his family.