I-DAY GIFT | Amin Sheikh, who grew up on streets, gifts city a cafe sans discrimination
For Amin Sheikh, who was brought up on the streets of Mumbai, it's time to give back and help the underprivileged. And this Independence Day, he will open a cafe where there is no social discrimination and which will have on menu a lot many noble intentions other than the delicacies.
Amin wrote his autobiography 'Life is Life, I am because of you' a few years ago with an aim to source money for his dream cafe. Named 'Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe', it's located at Marol in Andheri.
And, what is so unique about the cafe?
Amin will be employing people above 19 from the orphanage he grew, Sneha Sadan, and other needy people living on street, depending upon their skills.
"It'll be a platform for the orphanage boys to showcase their skills, be it in cooking, baking, cleaning, dealing with electrical, computer appliances and other vocational skills. Main feature of the cafe will be that all will be paid equally. There will be no difference in the salary drawn by a staff member and me."
The cafe will also have a billboard outside which will have names of those in need for a job, their professional/vocational skills and contact number. "For those from other orphanages, we will be practically testing the skills and doing a background check before recommending them and putting their name on the board," said Amin, unable to control his excitement over the billboard corner. "There is one cupboard put up for a girl, a fashion designer, and is part of Sneha Sadan. Whatever is earned from selling her products will be passed on to her in full."
It was the money received from selling his autobiography and the donations he received from his well-wishers that helped Amin make cafe a reality. "Rather than crowd-funding the money, I preferred to sell my book and earn money. A few of my friends from Spain too came to help me out. One of them went door to door, asking people to buy my book and help me fulfil my wish. Facebook too helped me to reach out to people," he said.
The cafe also has a library corner where one can gift book and spent time reading. "Many have come forward and donated books. They have also mentioned why they recommend the book they donated for reading."
Apart from Marathi, Amin's book is published in English, German and Spanish. "I will be selling the books in future too since we need money to run the cafe this way," said Amin.
'Life is Life, I am because of you'
Amin's book narrates his inspirational journey from rags to riches. He has spent most of his childhood on local trains and railway stations. Till 1988, when Sister Seraphine of Sneha Sadan found him at Dadar station, he was living as a rag-picker, milkman and coolie at railway stations. Amin later started working for Eustace Fernandes, who was a director on the board of Radeus Advertising. In 2002, when Amin told Fernandes that he wished to travel to Barcelona, Fernandes planned a trip and took him to Spain in 2003. Amin visited library cafes in Spain and dreamt of opening a similar one in Mumbai.
You can buy his book or contact him at amindreamsteam@gmail.com.
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