: Once A Child Labourer, Hero Helps Hundreds Of Homeless Get Care Jobs #IndiaNEWS #Lede A few years ago, Puducherry-based Suresh (name changed) lost one eye and four fingers in a tragic accident.

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Once A Child Labourer, Hero Helps Hundreds Of Homeless Get Care Jobs #IndiaNEWS #Lede
A few years ago, Puducherry-based Suresh (name changed) lost one eye and four fingers in a tragic accident. As a result, the 55-year-old, who was a rickshaw driver, lost his source of income, which in turn rendered him homeless. To make ends meet, he began selling paper and plastic to afford food, but when his second eye became weak as well, he was out of options.  
When Anumuthu Joshi, founder of Snehan NGO, approached Suresh for rehabilitation, the latter refused to speak. It took him about a week to open up and share his story. Meanwhile, Anumuthu arranged for funds for his eye operation.  
Six months on, Suresh’s eyesight is better and he runs his own shop to sell bags. Although he still lives on the streets, he does not have to beg or starve for food and clothing. He earns upto Rs 150 daily.
There are 1. 77 million homeless people in India,  a majority of whom do not have access to shelter, sanitation, food, health and water, let alone a source of livelihood.  
The solution to this issue in India is not always appropriate, as the homeless usually end up in dingy and broken shelter homes. Instances of running away from these homes are also not uncommon.  
In a scenario where the population of the homeless has increased by 20%, the issues of shrinking spaces and increasing unemployment rate become prominent.  
However, the good news is that there are a few like Suresh who have found a life of dignity, thanks to Annumuthu and his organisation, which have touched lives of close to a thousand people, of which 50 are earning a decent livelihood.
Suresh at Snehan
Anumuthu’s empathy and selflessness stem from his own traumatic past. He would often be asked to do as much work as an adult, but would be paid less. Long hours of work, unhygienic working conditions, and low wages deeply affected his childhood. Having experienced the brutality of starvation and exploitation at the hands of his superiors, he launched Snehan 15 years ago to help people going through similar problems.  
‘It’s all about trust building’ 
Snehan beneficiaries
He was seven when his father, a woodcutter, passed away. Left with the responsibility of feeding four mouths in the house, he started working as a farm labourer with his mother at a meagre wage of Rs 4. His mother earned Rs 6.  
“We would eat rice and water on most days. We had no properties or relatives to fall back on. On some days, my mother would skip meals to make sure we ate properly. It seemed as if there was no light at the end of the tunnel,� Anumuthu tells The Better India.  
When a priest offered to sponsor Anumuthu’s education, he was not sure if he should accept the offer.

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