Asma Sheikh: Limited Means, Unlimited Dreams
Asma, a fifteen-year-old, who lives on the footpath opposite Mumbai's BMC headquarters is an inspiration. In spite of having no roof over her head, Asma made no excuses when it came to hard work. TOI photojournalist SL Shanth Kumar has closely tracked her journey from the time Asma first hit the headlines. She's now ready to head to college.
Love for education!
Asma studies under the dim light of a streetlamp. Although she is surrounded by people passing by and loud noise, her focus is only on her books. Her smile caught the nation's imagination when she scored 40% in her Class 10 Board Exams on July 29, 2020. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/ BCCL
Dreaming of a better future
After passing the Class 10 state board examination from a municipal school, Asma has now got admission to KC college.She worked on her own with no access to extra tuition. The college authorities have also said that they would take care of her college fees. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/ BCCL
Living a simple life!
If you pass by Azad Maidan, you might notice Asma helping her father who sells lemon juice. The family has no access to electricity and running water and depends on the public toilet at Azad Maidan. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/ BCCL
Making do with the minimum
With basic ingredients, Asma and her family cook their day’s meal. Their only possessions are some bedding, a stove, some utensils and clothes. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/BCCL
My precious!
Asma's personal belongings fit into a small handbag and her most precious possession is her broken mobile phone which has a broken screen and no access to the internet. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/BCCL
Hiccups in Asma’s journey
The lack of technology and the family’s inability to buy a new device has made Asma’s education journey even more difficult. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all her classes are online at the moment. This, however, has not stopped the family from dreaming big and continuing to work towards educating their children in the hope of a better tomorrow. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/BCCL
Calling it a day
Whether its Mumbai's rush hour or the constant buzz of people, in Asma's world on the footpath, noise is a constant companion. She's learned to cope. The cacophony people buzzing around and cars honking in the busy road, Asma catches up on her sleep peacefully. Photo: SL Shanth Kumar/BCCL