AGAINST THE ODDS - Dribbling past adversities, Parvez scores a winner

MUMBAI: A pint-sized Parvez Shaikh wanted to be something big. While most of the kids in his Malageon (Vashi district) neighbourhood dropped out of school, Shaikh chose the science stream and was contemplating between becoming a doctor or engineer. He decided that by choosing the former, he could make more of an impact on society.
The 18-year-old also likes to play football.But sadly, coming from a low-income family, he never had money to buy football shoes or clothes and so he could never be part of his school or college football team. He did however play with friends in the neighbourhood.
But it was his studies that were always on the top of his list. He was into the second month of FYBsc when disaster struck -his dad suffered a stroke, his left side left paralysed. “As it is we didn't have much money, and with my dad suffering a stroke, we just couldn't afford anything. My brother worked at the petrol pump, but his earnings weren't enough to pay for my Dad's treatment which cost us over Rs 3 lakhs,“ he told TOI.
If the cost of the hospitalisation wasn't enough, the family is still paying for the treatment, which is around Rs 10,000 a month. Seeing that his family was finding it difficult to put food on the table, Shaikh dropped out of college.His dreams of becoming a doctor ceased. He decided to get a job as a construction worker. Ironically , the project he is currently working on is a hospital in Malageon.
“I earn Rs 300-350 for a day's work. I know it's not a lot, but it's better than nothing. I'm doing my best to help my family. That's what I need to do right now, my studies can wait,“ he said.
The only thing that keeps him sane he says, is playing football. “It gets my mind off things. I'm happiest with the ball at my feet,“ said Shaikh, who plays as a striker.
It's his love for football that made him join Slum Soccer, an organisation that promotes football for the underprivileged. He plays with friends at a local ground from 7-8 every morning before starting work at 8.30am.
The organisation is currently holding a nation-wide tournament for underprivileged kids at the Andheri Sports Complex. Teams from 16 Indian states are participating in the tournament for boys and girls. There's also a team from Nepal. The objective of the competition is to select a girls and boys team to represent India at the Homeless World Cup to be held in Oslo in September. “I just hope I can make it to the World Cup. I can't even imagine going out of the country on my own. This is my only chance and I'm giving it my best,“ said Shaikh.