When the Verma family arrived in the city, they carried little more than hope. With no prior experience of urban life or its many complexities, they stepped into a world of fast-paced change, unfamiliar systems, and harsh realities. Their dreams were simple: to find work, build a better future, and educate their children. But the challenges they faced were anything but simple.
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence”
Philip Reyes
Urban life in the city
Both Parents took up daily wage labour—whatever jobs they could find—just to ensure food on the table. Living in makeshift housing with no access to clean water or sanitation, the conditions they endured were harsh and hazardous. Their home, if one could call it that, was cramped, poorly ventilated, and prone to flooding during the monsoon. Basic healthcare was a luxury, and even a minor illness meant days of lost wages and deepening debt.
Vikas and Anita
School ended where affordability began.
In the midst of these struggles were their children—Vikas and Anita. Vikas, the elder of the two, was a bright student who managed to complete school against all odds. However, dreams of college quickly faded in the face of financial constraints. Higher education remained just that—a dream.
Anita’s childhood gave way to duty.
Anita, just 11 years old at the time, bore responsibilities no child should. She dropped out of school to care for her younger siblings and take on household chores while her parents worked long hours. Her childhood was abruptly replaced with a burden of responsibility, one that many girls in similar circumstances silently shoulder every day.
The Verma story is not an exception—it is the shared reality of thousands struggling unseen on the city’s fringes.
This is not just the story of the Verma family. It is the story of countless urban migrants—families who move to cities for a better life but are pushed to the margins of society, struggling to survive amidst poverty, neglect, and invisibility.
