Tamina came to shuktara in 2008, when she was around nine years old. She was being cared for in a night shelter close to Howrah Station, along with Lali. They asked if we would take both girls, and so Pappu collected Tamina and then went back for Lali the next day.
Because we did not know her exact date of birth when she joined the family, Tamina got to choose her birthday and she decided to celebrate it on 13th July. Nothing is known about her parents.
David, shuktara’s Founder, says: “She’s such a delightful girl. She is always laughing and joking with everyone. But if she doesn’t want to do something, you will know about it!”
Tamina finds it hard to concentrate and has learning difficulties. She studied at REACH in the Special Education Unit where her favourite subject was music.
In October 2017 Lali and Tamina, who were in the Cerebral Palsy Unit and Special Needs Unit respectively, finished their schooling.
“She makes the girls’ house really alive,” says Pappu, shuktara’s Chairman, who spends most of his time running both the boys’ and girls’ houses, “Although there are misconceptions in the neighbourhood about Tamina, I have explained about her disability and it is getting better. She used to be hyperactive and hard to control when she got angry, but this has improved as she’s got older. She makes me smile as sometimes she likes to call me brother and sometimes father!”