Didi
by Shaheen Mistri
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In this piece of life writing, Shaheen Mistri narrates how she gave up a comfortable, privileged life to serve underprivileged children in India. Growing up across ten schools in five countries as the daughter of a banker, she began visiting an orphanage in Jakarta as a child and volunteering at a blind school in Mumbai during her summers, where she first became aware of the deep inequity in Indian society. In the summer of 1989, at a Mumbai traffic signal, three begging children made her realise that her life 'would have more meaning' if she stayed in India. Against her parents' cautions, and only on the conditions that she gain admission to a good college and later study abroad, she moved to Mumbai, boldly getting admission to St. Xavier's through a 'side door' to the Principal's office. She began walking the city, entered a slum community of about 10,000 people, and befriended Sandhya, a girl her own age. Children began crowding into Sandhya's tiny home to learn, calling her 'Didi'. Determined to give these children an education, Shaheen approached twenty schools; nineteen refused with illogical excuses before Holy Name High School gave her a room. This became the first centre of the Akanksha Foundation, formally born in 1991 with a single class of 15 children, which grew to 58 centres and 6 schools with over 3,500 children.
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'Didi' is a piece of life writing by Shaheen Mistri, founder of the Akanksha Foundation, describing how she chose to serve underprivileged children in India instead of a comfortable life abroad.
An international childhood and early awareness
As the daughter of a banker who moved cities, Shaheen grew up through ten schools across five countries. From the age of twelve she visited an orphanage in Jakarta and, during summers in Mumbai, volunteered at the Happy Home and School for the Blind. There she began to see the deep 'inequity' of Indian society, the gap between wealth and the poverty and begging on the streets.
The turning point
In the summer of 1989, three begging children ran up to her taxi at a Mumbai traffic signal, and in that moment she 'suddenly knew' her life would have more meaning if she stayed in India. A week before returning to Boston, she persuaded her parents to let her move to Mumbai, on two conditions: that she gain admission to a good college, and later study abroad for her graduate degree.
St. Xavier's and the slum community
Told that admissions were closed and the Principal gave no appointments, Shaheen boldly went through a 'side door' to Father D'Cruz's office and won admission to St. Xavier's. Wanting to understand India deeply, she walked the city and entered a sprawling slum of about 10,000 people with no running water or proper sanitation. There she befriended Sandhya, an eighteen-year-old girl; though they shared no common language, they connected instantly.
The birth of Akanksha
Children began crowding into Sandhya's tiny home to learn English, maths and songs, calling Shaheen 'Didi'. This became her first class. Determined to give the children a proper school, she approached twenty schools for a spare classroom; nineteen refused with illogical excuses, until Holy Name High School in Colaba gave her a room, the first Akanksha centre.
Mobilising volunteers from St. Xavier's, she wanted the class to be a safe place where children could 'just be children'. The Akanksha Foundation formally came into existence in 1991 with a single class of 15 children, and grew organically to 58 centres and 6 schools with over 3,500 children, teaching basic English and maths seasoned with values, self-esteem and confidence.