A journey from ragpicker to nurse

Yavatmal/Navi Mumbai: The incredible life story of a 30-year-old Yavatmal based nurse, Banu Shaikh G Shafi, who worked as a ragpicker during childhood to support her widowed mother, Bibi Shaikh, and younger sister, Shama, and overcame many hurdles to uplift her family’s hand-to-mouth existence, has impressed several citizens and activists. Sunday was a special day for Banu as she got married to Shabbir Khan, a tailor and a resident of village Rui (Wai), about 20km away from the city.
Banu has been working as a nurse for the last seven years at a government hospital in Yavatmal, after finishing her nursing course. At present, she earns Rs11,000 per month.
Dr Prakash Nandurkar (62), a well-known doctor in Yavatmal, has been helping the family for years and Banu regards him as her brother. He had first come across the girl’s family around 22 years ago when Banu’s mother had fallen ill. “Banu’s father, Gaffar Shaikh, was a truck driver who died when she was only three and her younger sister was one-and-a-half years old. Their relatives had thrown them out and so the trio settled in a shanty house in Ravidas Nagar, close to an open sewer. Banu’s mother had started falling ill as she used to work 16 hours a day as a house maid and also at a cotton factory. So, to support her mother, Banu started working as a ragpicker,”' recalled Dr Nandurkar, while speaking to TOI.
Banu’s sister Shama, too, joined her. Both the sisters walked along the streets of the city carrying a gunny bag on the shoulders and collected rags from the gutters. After sorting out the rags and other waste material, they sold it to scrap merchants, earning Rs15-20 daily from their day long hard work. Their mother went around to work as a home help when there was no work in the factory.
Both the sisters continued to pick the rags for over seven years. But they did not ignore their education. “As a child, Banu never showed any anxiety and did all her chores, along with attending school. Later, she also developed a slight heart complication which I treated by correcting a valve. I realized that this girl was special and advised her to continue studying till at least Std XII,”' said Dr Nandurkar.
Both sisters later joined the Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM) course in Government Medical College, Yavatmal. They completed the course and worked in private nursing homes for some time. Both were appointed as ANMs in public health centres. Banu joined her duty while Shama opted out and preferred to remain with her ailing mother.
When TOI contacted Banu, she sounded like any other cheerful bride. “Wherever I am today, it is thanks to my mother, god, and my ‘bhaiyya’ (brother) Dr Nandurkar!” she said.
Taking into account of the importance of the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Dr Nandurkar approached minister of state for energy Madan Yerawar and expressed his desire to arrange Banu’s wedding. The marriage was solemnized in Muslim style in the presence of a host of dignitaries, followed by a feast for over 1,000 guests.
Impressed by Banu’s struggle and Dr Nandurkar’s support to the family, Goonj, an NGO based in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, is planning to felicitate the duo.