Little Hands, Big Heart

Every morning before the sun rose, the narrow streets of the town would come alive with the sound of carts rolling and shutters opening. Among them was a small wooden stall near the market square, owned by Rakesh, a kind and hardworking man who sold fresh fruits. His younger son who is 13-year-old, Anurag, admired his father greatly. Though he was small, his heart was big and filled with a strong desire to help.  “Papa, can I come with you today?” Anurag would ask, eyes wide with excitement.

Rakesh smiled. “Only if you wake up before the rooster crows.” And he did. Every single morning.

Anurag’s job was simple—he helped clean the fruits, arranged them neatly, and greeted customers with a cheerful smile. What he lacked in strength, he made up for with joy and energy. He’d remember who liked mangoes a bit overripe, who preferred crunchy apples, and which auntie liked her bananas still green. As days passed, the regular customers began to look forward to seeing Anurag more than the fruits themselves.

“Your boy is quite the little businessman,” a customer once said to Rakesh. Rakesh laughed, his eyes glistening with pride. “He’s my best partner.”

One day, when Rakesh fell ill and couldn't go to the market, Anurag insisted on taking the cart by himself. With a little help from elder brother who is already working somewhere and a lot of determination, he ran the stall just like his father taught him. He even managed to sell more than usual.

When Rakesh recovered and returned to the stall, he found it cleaner, brighter, and busier than ever. “You’ve done more than help,” he said, placing a gentle hand on Anurag’s shoulder. “You’ve kept us going.” From that day on, the sign on the stall read: Rakesh & Son – Fresh Fruits with a Smile.

And it truly was a business run not just with hands, but with heart.

Anurag is one of our students in the tuitions program studying in Class 9. He comes to the Centre to study every morning and goes to help his dad at the fruit stall in the evenings.