At the age that children play pretend and dream of being heroes, 5-year old orphan, Joshua, had to step into his parents’ big shoes to provide for his brother and grandmother. He didn’t have a better option than to beg on the harsh streets. His parents had died in an unfortunate accident and he was responsible for supporting his three year old brother, Raja, and disabled grandmother. Every day, he went out in the sweltering heat to beg for money, earning just about a dollar daily. It was barely enough to earn each of them one meal a day.
Then, miraculously, his luck changed. One day, while begging on the streets, Joshua met Pockets of Promise staff, Sheeba and Uday. After hearing his story, they fed him and took him back to his village to meet his brother and grandmother. Their living condition was simply horrific. Both Joshua and Raja were thin, malnourished and dehydrated. They lived in a tent made of garment rags and were exposed to the elements. Sheeba reached out to Pockets of Promise for help. Joshua and Raja were soon sponsored by a generous donor, and their lives began to change.
First, a new home. With the help of kind donors, Pockets of Promise built a small hut for Joshua, Raja, and their grandmother. It was a small step, but it made a huge impact on their lives, giving them a comfortable place to live.
Then, Joshua and Raja were put in a school. Their sponsor paid for the tuition and transportation expenses, and they were set on the right path.
Four years have passed since Joshua’s days of begging for money – his life has been rebuilt. Both Joshua and Raja, now 9 and 7, ace all of their exams and top their classes in all subjects. They moved in with Sheeba and her family when their grandmother got sick and moved into a care center. Pockets of Promise sponsors continue to feed them and pay for their schooling.
Joshua still recalls his father promising to make him a successful man one day. For a while, that seemed impossible. But thanks to Pockets of Promise, Joshua is now on the road to becoming a determined, successful person making his father’s dream come true.