“I’m a farmer; I live with my wife and two kids– a 7 year old son and 10 year old daughter. Money has always been tight– I make 5000 Rupees each month, sometimes less, but I ensured that both my children went to school. I had to drop out of school in the 8th grade to support my family, so I want my children to get all the opportunities I never got. 

 
But, the lockdown in our village created a big problem– my daughter’s school started online classes, but I didn’t have a smartphone. She came crying to me saying, ‘Padhai ab kaise karenge phone ke bina Baba?’ I didn’t even have an answer. So she set out to find her own solution.

 
Some people in our village own smartphones, so my daughter started going to their houses everyday and pleaded with them to allow her some time to study. She would spend half the day wandering around the entire village, trying to find someone to borrow a phone from. Soon, people started to get fed up. Day after day, I saw her studies suffer and her sadness grow; she loves to study. 

 
Finally, I decided that I had to arrange for a new phone for her, come what may. I spoke to a few of my friends, explained my situation and they lent me 5000 Rupees! With that, my wife and I surprised our kids with the phone– they couldn’t control their happiness! My daughter took it and immediately started studying; she’s the one who has the phone most of the time. I was so happy that her studies weren’t compromised. 

 
But, after a few weeks, my friends who I’d borrowed the money from started pressuring me to return the loan. I felt helpless, but the thought of selling the phone again and breaking my daughter’s heart was one I couldn’t bear. So I did what I had to– I sold my cow and paid my debts, even though we’re dependent on selling cow milk to survive. But it’s my daughter’s dream to become a doctor and as a father, I’ll do anything to make that happen. Pehnegi… ek din meri beti woh saffed coat pehnegi.”