The 2020 Delhi riots scarred thousands of lives, dragging many into darkness and uncertain futures. In just three days of violence, 53 people were killed, 122 houses were vandalized, 322 shops destroyed, 301 vehicles set ablaze, and 3 schools reduced to rubble. The brutality was widely documented, but while the world read headlines of destruction, families in Northeast Delhi were left to live through the horror.
For Shayaba the riots were not just another story on the news. It became her lived reality when her husband, Aas Mohammad, was lynched by a mob on his way home.
“We kept waiting for him to return but he never came back. Our relatives searched everywhere, we looked in every possible place, but there was no trace of him. Later, we were told that he was no more, his body was found after 13 days” she recalled.
His death upended her world. “After he was gone, everything changed. Everything was finished. Suddenly, all the responsibility fell on me,” she said.
Left with three children- Rehan, Sonam and Saima, Shayaba decided to move into her in-laws’ home, renting out her own house for a small sum to survive. Some relief came when Miles2Smile took charge of her children’s education and enrolled them in Sunrise Public School, their relief school set up for riot survivors.
But another tragedy soon struck. One day, her in-laws’ house collapsed, killing her husband’s parents and brothers. Shayaba and her son survived only because they had gone to attend a wedding.
“My son and I were away at a wedding, that is why we survived. The rest of my in-laws were trapped inside and lost their lives. After that, my responsibilities increased even more. I now had to take care of my brother-in-law’s children too, arrange their schooling and raise them,” she said.
With her in-laws gone, Shayaba shifted back to her own house. But the home was badly damaged. The floors were cracked, the kitchen was broken, and there were barely any essentials left. Once again, Miles2Smile helped her rebuild.
“There were many things that had to be fixed in the house. The kitchen, the floors, everything needed renovation. But it all became easier because of Miles2Smile. From repairing the house to giving us utensils and every basic item, they supported us completely,” she said.
For Shayaba, the riots have never really ended. One tragedy followed another, leaving her to carry the weight of survival but a silver lining came when Miles2Smile helped. Many like Shayaba still struggle to smile, to live, to earn. Milles2Smile is determined to rebuild their lives and provide respite.
