Carving a life beyond panhandling

While Mukesh may have escaped begging and settled for an honest living, his heart longs for education and schooling

KARACHI: In theory, Pakistan’s federal policy on child labour bans hazardous labour under the age of 14, military service under 18, and implements compulsory education until the age of 16. But despite the policy, more than 12.5 million children across the country are estimated to be involved in child labour, making Pakistan one of the worst contributors to the global statistic.

One such child is eight-year-old Mukesh, who spends the majority of his hours scrubbing boots across the neighbourhoods of Karimabad and nearby areas. The boy, who lives in a slum under the Liaquatabad Bridge with the rest of his family, works up to 12 hours a day to put food on his table.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

“Most of my family depends on begging for sustenance. So naturally, I too begged for a few days upon my parents’ suggestion but it felt humiliating and I wanted to make an honest living instead,” Mukesh said. “I now roam from market to market and neighbourhood to neighbourhood offering my boot polishing services and make up to Rs300-400 everyday,” he added.



Mukesh’s decision to quit begging had prompted his father’s concerns. In families living below the poverty line, every hand needs to earn if every mouth is to be fed. “When my father asked me what I will do if not beg, I told him I’ll go to the market and look for any kind of work but won’t beg another day of my life.”

The determined eight-year-old strolled through the markets for a few days until he chanced upon a boot polisher. “I saw him scrubbing boots and it looked like something I could do as well. I would visit the boot polisher from time to time and learn from him and by the time I had learned the trade, all I needed was a brush and some shoe polish to start my own work.”

Upon learning that Mukesh wanted to practise boot polishing instead of begging, his parents bought him a polishing kit and an old bag to start his own practice.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

When asked about his routine, Mukesh said that his entire family wakes up at 6am. “My mother serves me tea and some bread for breakfast and I leave for work soon after. I polish boots till 6pm and earn up to Rs400 on some days.”

Where Mukesh may have escaped the ills of begging, he finds himself held within the vicious cycle of child labour, like many children living below the poverty line. “I have dreams of studying and becoming a teacher one day but my family lacks the finances to put me through a school,” Mukesh told The Express Tribune. “Most of the money I earn goes to feeding my family but hopefully I’ll save enough money to at least buy some books and stationery and maybe happen upon someone who would be kind enough to be my teacher,” the conscientious eight-year-old concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2020.