“I don’t want to be a rag picker anymore. I want my degree,” the father’s voice was clear and resolute as he looked Back2Back India Staff, Santosh, in the eye. 

Santosh and a father in the Strong Families Program have been working together for the last four years through parenting classes. He and his family live in the city and he has long worked as a rag picker (sorting through remnants of garbage for parcels to sell in exchange for money) for most of his adult life. After witnessing a large group of moms from the program graduate parenting classes, he felt the desire to do something more for his family and himself. He also very vulnerably shared with Santosh he felt he was drinking too much and wanted his help to know what to do with his time.

After their conversation, he started coming to the community center in the city, listening to books on tape that Santosh recommends and together, they find and work on things to keep him from resorting to alcohol. He is now sober and pursuing his degree. Together, he and his family are strengthening their bonds and making and reaching goals as unit. Please join us in celebrating this incredible transformation and the hard work it took to get where he is today.