Guwahati: Boarding an aircraft was a "dream impossible" for 12-year-old Anisha, daughter of a daily wager at Bamunimaidam railway colony here.
Her dream, however, was fulfiled on Tuesday morning when she and 19 other underprivileged children here boarded a Go Air flight at LGBI Airport at Borjhar for a daylong trip to Calcutta. Thanks to Khushiyon Ki Udaan project of Marwari Yuva Manch, Guwahati, under which the children, being supported by Avas Foundation, an NGO, were selected for the trip.
"It is a dream come true. We just look at the aircraft flying over the city but never ever imagined that we would board a flight," said Anisha before checking in at the airport.
There were more heartwarming moments to be cherished as Go Air staff greeted the unprivileged children with roses and chocolates before they took off for Calcutta.
The 20 children, aged between 10 and 13 years, are Sahil Kumar Rai, Ankit Kumar Thakur, Anisha Kumari Paswan, Chandan Poddar, Mehebub Azam, Ajinur Hussain, Laxmi Poddar, Muskan Kumari Shah, Isha Thakur, Amrita Poddar, Rahul Poddar, Mamta Kumari Paswan, Amod Mahato, Shrawan Mahato, Priyanka Mishra, Anisha Gupta, Manohar Mohammad and Saya Basfore. Their parents work as carpenters, tailors, daily wagers, drivers, barbers or vegetable vendors.
The team reached Calcutta at 12.05pm. They were treated to snacks at the airport before being taken to Nicco Park. Lunch at a food court was followed by a visit to a Big Bazaar mall at 5pm. The excited children bought T-shirts and study materials. Finally, they reached the airport at 6.30pm for a return flight in an IndiGo aircraft.
"Khushiyon Ki Udaan is one of our dream projects as it aims at not just helping less privileged children to fulfill their dreams to fly but also make them realise that no dream is too big and the only way to turn them into reality is working hard with sincerity," said a statement issued by Mohit Malu, branch secretary of the manch.
National President of All India Marwari Yuva Manch, Amit Agarwal, who was present in the airport said, "This kind of project will act as a catalyst of hope for the children's future and ingrain the idea that nothing is impossible."
