Story Mishu

Mishu is an 18-year old adolescent with a troubled past. He is mentally disabled and lives in Afroza’s place since 2009. His mother works 6 days a week and therefore cannot take care of Mishu. He is the son of her first marriage. Her husband left her when Mishu turned out to be disabled. Years later she remarried but also her new husband refused to take care of Mishu. He was ignored by the new family-in-law and he grew lonelier day by day. His mother was desperate and begged DRRA and Niketan to take her son to live and work at Afroza’s place.

Six adolescents with a mental disability live and work on the care farm “Afroza’s place”. They learn to handle cattle and grow fruits, vegetables and flowers. Every morning after breakfast the day ahead is discussed and visualized in pictures. So Mishu knows what he has to do each day. He starts his day collecting laundry.  Then he will bring Shusal, one of the other inhabitants of Afroza’s place, to physiotherapy in the day care centre. Then he will feed the animals and works on the land or the farm. He  cuts wheat roots or grass to feed the cows, sifts mustard seeds, picks weeds on the vegetable field, participates in harvesting rice and so on.

Twice a week he is in class. He learns to take care of the animals, to maintain personal hygiene and how to behave in a work environment. He is eager to learn and enjoys his work every day.

Also meet Rubel