Street child, resident of Sneh Sadan Home, owner of a travel enterprise, author and publisher and soon (hopefully) founder of a café Barcelona to Bombay—Amin Sheikh goes by the simple philosophy, 'If I can, so can you.' Through his story, Sheikh attempts to instill hope in the lives of thousands of children on the street. His vision is to employ those who have grown up on the streets but have given up the hope of getting out of the vicious circle.
From the moment you meet him, the conviction in his voice and the confidence he exudes in his ability to fulfill his dream win you over. And this confidence has stemmed from his own life journey. Having absconded from home at the tender age of five, Sheikh has seen the worst that this city has to offer. Making a success of his initiative, therefore, is not a matter of 'if' but one of 'when'.
Speaking about what keeps him going, Sheikh says, "I was lucky enough to find angels who showed me the right path. It is only because of these people that I have been able to achieve what I have today—I am who I am because of them. But, my journey is far from over. I had them for guidance, but there are still thousands of Amins out there on the streets. Who will take care of them? As a child on the street, receiving education or getting employed is almost impossible. I want to work with children who did not have such opportunities; I want to help them rebuild their lives. That is my goal."
His book, Bombay Mumbai, is the first step towards fulfilling his dream. Self-published last year, the book has already sold 8,000 copies around the world in four languages—English, Spanish, French and Catalan. Sheikh is hoping to release it soon in another four languages—Marathi, German, Hebrew and Italian.
In addition to the support received from organisations like Kitab Khana and the Xavier's Institute of Communication, Sheikh has also made friends with travellers who avail of his services at Sneha Travels. Close friends such as these have taken the books with them and helped spread the word in their own hometown. Back in Mumbai, you may spot Sheikh standing outside churches or railway stations trying to sell the book himself. Like he says, "Every sale counts."
Amin Sheikh's book is available at Kitab Khana. A signed copy may be purchased directly from the author by writing to amindreamsteam@gmail.com.
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