Oman is eight years old and lives in East Delhi. Over the last four months, his life has taken a strange turn as he has become accustomed to the atmosphere of the madrasa. Despite his family not being there to support him during this time, Oman’s enthusiasm and determination shine through.
Fluent in both Hindi and Urdu and learning basic mathematics, Oman captivated us with his sweet voice while counting to fifty. Such a small act was a huge accomplishment for a young child who had been without family for 4 months. Due to a tragic accident in which his father died, his journey has been marred by tragedy. He has a 12-year-old sister as his elder sibling, and his mother works as a housemaid to support the family.
Not content with just counting numbers, he eagerly embarked on reciting the English alphabet from A to Z until we gently interrupted him midway. He has a sharp memory and remembers the harsh cold that didn’t spare his little feet, nor did it soften at the sight of his cold-reddened hands.
To further horrify the morning, the fear of the police shook the soul of the young child. “My older friends asked the police to return our sandals. Instead, they ordered us to leave the area barefoot, showing their lathis,” narrated Oman, who was terrified of being beaten by the police. He stood still, witnessing so much destruction at a tender age, where trauma easily takes root and never leaves.”
Oman harbors a desire to become a Hafiz one day, despite all the obstacles he must overcome. Although he has not yet begun the process of memorizing the entire Quran, he painstakingly learns the Qaida, which serves as the basis for his goals.
He speaks fondly of his fellow students, considering them all friends, yet he reserves a special place in his heart for his closest companion, Asif, whom he proudly proclaims as his best friend.
Notwithstanding the difficulties that lay ahead, Oman is a young boy full of resilience, optimism, and a resolve to create a better future for himself, and Miles2Smile aims to make his dream come true.
