Story Sayed

I’m Sayed and I’m 36 years old. I was 6 years old when I met Antoinette during her cycling trip. I’m the boy she promised to help and came back to Bangladesh for.

You could say we drastically changed each other’s lives. When I was 6 years old, my parents didn’t know what to do with me. But thanks to Antoinette, my Khalamma, I got therapy, a wheelchair and education. One of the things I won’t forget any time soon are the anniversary celebrations. At Niketan’s 10-year anniversary, I was allowed to give my Khalamma cake and I spread it all over her face. We had such fun. Niketan has been by my side for 30 years. Even after my marriage I continued to receive support, most recently in the form of a custom toilet and a water pump. I get a very small income from the goats I got from Niketan and disability benefits from the government. If it had not been for Niketan, I would have had to spend my life as a beggar.