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Peoplespeak

By Mohammad Asim 2017-06-17
“I came to Islamabad 10 years ago to earn a better living. Back home in Battagram, I worked in the fields which did not excite me. I always wanted to work in a big city where I heard the wages were better. I moved to the capital city and started working odd jobs, but I was not earning enough. I was disappointed and was planning to return to my village when my roommate told me to try my hand at sharpening knives, which I also thought was better than the odd jobs I had been doing so far. My regular customers now are butchers and housewives. I roam around various localities during the day and manage to earn about Rs300 a day. I live in Pirwadhai where I rent a charpoy for Rs50 a night. I have eight children. The eldest, a girl, is now married. I am the only bread winner of the family and it is difficult for me to afford an education for my children. Though all of them go to school back in the village, how long I will be able to send them to school, I don’t know. I want my children to be educated. At least they will have a better future than me. I do believe that education can make a difference.”