“I am unaware how the affection of a ‘family’ feels like. My name is Raheem Ahmed and I am 18 years old now. My life has been a mix of highs and lows right from my childhood. I lost my parents at the age of 3. I had no knowledge about these things until I was of certain age where I could understand things.

I was later told that my parents had passed away in a road accident. Then, I was given to the person who had hit my parents accidentally in the crash for care taking. He was a good man. He named me and I think till the age of 6, I was with him. However, things started to change worse as he had two children to take care of already. It became difficult for him to take my responsibility. Hence, at the age of 6, I was admitted into a Home for Children in the vicinity of Ramakrishnapuram. Since then I never saw them.

Later, I was transferred to another Orphanage in Hyderabad and from there my schooling had started. I didn’t like the environment of that orphanage. The staff members there were uncaring and disobliging.
A few of the older brothers there planned to run away from the orphanage. I had joined them ending up somewhere in Goa. Shockingly, I was left all alone in Goa. Those brothers whom I trusted ditched me and never showed up. Later, a lifeguard officer came for my rescue after sighting me sob. I was already frightened and again ran away from him without his knowledge. Afterwards, I was roaming around the beach alone and then I approached a ‘Dabha’ Owner if he is willing to provide me any work. He was kind enough to take me in and I worked there for several months. That’s when I realized the importance of education and I am capable of it. Later, I ran away from there and arrived at a railway station. There the police officer enquired me. I told him everything and my interest to study. He took me to a Rescued Children home in Goa and I stayed there for 8 months and later was brought to the Hyderabad home for children.

Finally, I was conceded to ANSWER Home for needy Children and it’s the best the best thing happened in my life so far. Now I stay at ANSWER Home. Fortunately, I got everything that I had wished for, the staff here treats us like their own children. The food, accommodation and education they provide here to us is top notch.

Currently, I am pursuing Hotel Management and in the future, I want to become a Master Chief. My journey right from my childhood was not easy. I have experienced incidents that usually no child would have imagined. But all these made me strong and gave me a motivation to mold a life of my own.”