Aparna Karthik and Pooja Deshpande Bengaluru: DH News Service May 14 2017, 1:13 IST
Saroja Reddy with her daughter Amrutha Reddy
Single mothers have a special magic inside of them which ensures the survival of their child over the survival of themselves. They sacrifice very much, and often their personal lives entirely in order to provide as much of their time and resources for their children. DH met two such single mothers who have sacrificed their careers and dreams to give their children the best of life.
As a single mother, Saroja Reddy cooks for a living. She has been the sole breadwinner for her family that constitutes of her daughter and son. For the last 15 years, Saroja cooks at various homes to provide for her family. An independent and strong woman, she strives hard to educate and provide for her children. Saroja's day begins as early as six in the morning when she leaves to cook at various homes in her society . She returns in the afternoon to cook lunch for her children and rest for a while.
She is back on her feet again at 5 to cook dinner for her clients and returns home only by night. “My mother is my greatest gift in life. I have seen her struggle to make ends meet but she would ensure that we never had to go hungry. Many a time she would sacrifice her meal to provide for us. I remember there were some occasions when there was no food at home apart from broken rice and she would make delicious dosas out of the rice and feed us while she would go hungry herself," said Amrutha Reddy , her daughter.
“Every mother will do this for her children. I have not done anything great. I cook at four to five houses but my greatest satisfaction is cooking for my children," says Saroja who has never been to a school but is fluent in various languages.
Strongest woman
“I am very proud of my mother for what she is. She is the most independent and strongest woman I know. She did not seek any help from our relatives and friends during the struggling days. One of the greatest things that she has taught is happiness doubles by sharing and I do so by helping people in every way I can," says Amrutha, a student of KSIT college.
“Our father left us when I was eight years old, since them my mother is taking care of us all by herself. She provides us with everything we need. In spite of having faced so many difficulties, she is one of the most positive people you can ever meet," says Amrutha. Mothers play many roles in children’s lives and are the women who will have the biggest influence on our lives. Another daughter describes her single mother as a movement.
“She believed everyone had value. And she believed in giving back when sometimes, sure she didn’t have a lot of energy to give. But she was there, volunteering her time with seniors, children, and those with disabilities she made this world better.I realise what I do today is a reflection of the values she showed me.” she says
“Single mothers carry the baggage of blames of the world upon their backs and upon the overhead of what we see, they look strong, confident and furious. I was confused about how to handle her alone but never thought that she will grow taller than me and stand by my side in all difficulties. Today I can proudly say that I am her mother,” says a single mother.