David Trotter’s film Mother India: Life Through the Eyes of the Orphan shakes your foundation and perception of reality. He lays bare the complexity of homelessness in searing images that haunt with chilling intensity.
Through the film we are introduced to Suresh Kumar Kathera, who has taken on the seemingly insurmountable challenge of being surrogate father to a lost generation of India’s homeless youth. Following Ask a New Yorker is granted the opportunity to question Mr. Kumar Kathera about his role in this crisis.
How do you see the homeless situation in India progressing over the next ten years?
In my personal experience I have seen little progress with regards to the homeless situation in India, especially in the major cities. The poor and downtrodden are paying the price because the government is corrupt and are not focused on helping the poor. The one positive thing that I do see is that social media and technology is making the world much smaller and globally people are becoming aware of this injustice.
What could/should your government be doing differently to help address this issue?
It would really take our government taking some big steps towards reform and looking at partnering with NGOs to start to make some headway. They need to have more focus on the issue holistically and design new projects that target poverty on multiple levels. Some examples could include: housing and even small scale employment programs. There are many organizations spread throughout India that are doing good work with the homeless population, if the government would work with us and other organizations, we could have a real impact. It will take collaboration.
Similarly, what could or should individual citizens of your country do that might have a meaningful impact on the issue?
Individuals need to step our and give financially to help. They need to let go of the stigma’s of the caste system and karma. It is interesting to watch the younger generations be more willing to help, especially those that are exposed to the Western world. It is a paradigm shift from focusing on self and family to seeing the broader picture.
How do you feel that your work with the homeless has changed or affected you as a person and/or the way that you approach life?
I get a lot of satisfaction from the work that we do. My life is very different because of the work I do, I set out to be in business, but i am now in the business of helping people. It is all worth it because of the change I see in people’s lives when we meet their basic needs and help restore their hope and dignity. It keeps me up at night because the need is so great, but my wife and I are committed to being a part of the solution.
Could you share the most touching or moving experience throughout your work with the homeless?
Several years ago we brought a very little girl out of the Red Light District near our town, she was unwanted. Her mother had recently died, she had no father, and she was wandering around without anyone to look out for her. We took her into our home, raised her and educated her, and now she is currently enrolled in a Harvest India Nursing College. It is really exciting for my wife and I when we see young men and women with a hope and a viable future before them.
