"Struggle has an unspoken ability to mold people. It curves their days, narrows their steps, and fills their nights with concerns. Yet, amidst all these, there is always something beautiful preserved – dreams."
Dreams that don’t give up, even in a tough situation.
This we witnessed firsthand when we visited a community living under trying circumstances. Narrow lanes, uneven surfaces, roofs that testified to the touch of rust—this is a place where difficulty is not a periodic guest but a constant companion.
However, the people that we encountered were anything but beaten.
Laughter rang from the children who played without shoes, making abandoned land into playgrounds. Mothers exhorted their children to learn, even when the lighting was poor. Fathers carried the burden of uncertainty but remained hopeful.
Their dreams were fragile, but not weak.
If anything, they were stronger than the challenges that they faced.
We came with a small gesture. One that might look easy from a distance. Donate slippers.
But when you are living in struggle, having any comfort at all is a blessing.
As we began handing the new slippers out to the children, a shift took place in the atmosphere.
Even before putting on his new Slipper, a young boy hugged his Slipper tightly to his chest.
“Ab school tak chalna asaan hoga.”
The mother took our hands in hers and exclaimed, “The dreams of our children are going to take flight. because of you all!”
Slippers won’t solve poverty — but slippers can protect feet that go long distances to attend schools.
They may provide relief for a person who is standing all day.
A child can feel they are cared for, noticed, and appreciated.
“And sometimes, that’s all a dream needs to keep blooming.”
We learned something profound watching those smiles: Though life may be tough, people's hope has a tenderer touch. Troubles may attempt to shatter them, but dreams will always manage to flourish. We didn’t only distribute slippers that day. "We shared moments of dignity, of warmth, and of encouragement." The “Moments which told every child: Keep walking. Your dreams matter.” In struggle, yes, our hopes do flourish—but even more vibrantly, radiantly, beautifully than we ever dare dream.