From begging on the streets of Bangalore to a posh office room at Government Hospital Coimbatore, the journey of Transgender, Thaslima Nasreen has come a long way.
Thaslima Nasreen is now the Founder of an NGO ‘Change’. In a candid conversation with SimpliCity, Thaslima shares how her NGO ‘Change’ brings ‘Change’ in people’s life and of course the roller coaster journey of her life.
‘I was born in a conventional Muslim family in Coimbatore. It was at the age of 15, I could no more hide the feminism in me. The identity storm in me was getting ferocious day by day. Things got even more messer, after I lost my mother during the same time. Her loss shattered my hope of life to pieces.
However, one of my uncle, Syed Ibrahim, who I would prefer calling ‘my best friend’ accepted me as I am and helped me fight through the situation by providing an opportunity to work in his establishment. Everything ‘seem’ to be fine, but something was swaying in my thoughts, constantly.
May be, I should have, but I did not inform even my uncle…I packed my bags to Bangalore in 2001. With ‘no vision no goal and no option’, I started to beg in the streets of Bangalore. I wasn’t ashamed of my act at all during the initial phase. I yelled and squabbled at people for denying money in order to meet my daily needs.
Within a few months of life in Bangalore, I had multiple health ailments. Finally, as my health worsened, I was diagnosed with jaundice. I decided to come back to Coimbatore for my treatment. Shockingly, I was denied treatment at the Coimbatore general hospital (GH). Though hard to believe, I just lived on water and left-over foods’ says an emotional sobbing Thaslima, who breaks off the interview to calm down her emotions.
She starts again by saying, ‘the darker side of my life began just after i was cured from Jaundice. I fell prey for drugs and alcohol convincing myself it as a ‘stress buster’. I begged for drugs and alcohol.
I have to say this, one day I landed up at a dental clinic in RS Puram to ask for money for a temple function. The doctor who owned this clinic refused to give me the desired amount. In no time, the temper in me broke his glass panes to bits and pieces. In spite of the ruckus I created, the doctor requested me to wait for sometime. I thought he would come back with money but he came back with a contact number of a person named ‘Anjali Jain’ introducing herself as a social activist helping the transgenders in the city.
I met Anjali, we had several arguments and confrontations but I couldn’t deny Anjali’s advice upon living a ‘righteous life’. Her words of advice, did convince…no ‘enlightened’ me on leading a righteous and meaningful life. I gave up alcohol and drugs. Anjali, did help me to start my own catering business.
Since then, I am proud and happy to reveal my identity as ‘Thaslima’ a transgender living a ‘dignified life’. People accepted me as I am. Soon, I understood people denied me due to my behaviour rather than my identity. I still find it hard to believe that I was invited as a ‘guest speaker’ by many educational institutions to deliver world of motivation to the students.
In early, 2014, I got introduced to Shobhana Kumar who runs a trust called ‘Small Difference’ which helps the needy in the city. With the help of Shobhana Kumar, I prepared food and served the needy and that was my first entry point at Coimbatore GH.
I then started to frequently visit GH for serving food to the needy. A bowl of food is exactly not what they wanted, the attendees of the patients run to and fro restlessly to source money and other basic utilities for their loved ones who were getting treated at GH.
My exploration at GH started then. Every day, after serving food, I started exploring the various departments and wards in GH. It was then i came across the ward, they call as ‘Unknown ward’. This ward is for people with injuries and ailments and who do not have relatives or caretakers. Abandoned or disowned by their families these victims were admitted by the Police and NGO’s.
I was devastated by their pain and their pathetic state. Their thoughts stung my heart, it wasn’t practically possible for me to convince their families and come back for them. I took the strongest decision in my life, to be the ‘Caretaker’ to all of these people.
I proposed my idea to Anjali Jain and Shobhana Kumar, upon whose advice I founded the trust ‘Change’. They also helped me get through the Dean, GH, with whom I shared my thoughts and expressed my willingness to be the ‘caretaker’ for these abandoned ailing patients.
After starting my trust ‘Change’ in 2014, here I am now available all time for these patients’ as ‘Thaslima Akka’ at Ward No:95. The little changes that i bring to the lives of these people through ‘Change’ gave me content, boosts me to do help more people and above all I now have a ‘big family’.
Just not monetary issues, these patients lack basic amenities like beds, pillows, diapers, food and supplements, blood donors and all above a ‘caring smile’. ‘Change’ has been taking care of their requirements with a touch of love and care.
So far, close to 3000 patients have been benefited through the trust. I whole-heartedly thank all the kind-hearted people who helped me run this trust through their noble donations. My special thanks to Anjali Jain, Shobhana Kumar, Syed Ibrahim (uncle) and Dean, GH and all doctors and staffs who have helped me do this. Now, the hospital has provided me with a separate cabin to handle my daily activities.
My plea to the people: ‘ We are also almighty’s creation. Even thieves and terrorists are not disowned by their family but transgenders are….and that’s the reason they indulge themselves into all ‘unwanted’ things. I plead the parents to accept them as they are instead of forcing them into something they aren’t created for.
At the end of the day ‘All of us here are one big family’ says Thaslima, a transgender, a guardian for thousands of abandoned ailing people, a busy woman running between the wards, co-ordinating, saying good bye to discharged patients, feeding, cleaning their diapers, helping the disabled go for a short walk, handling her trust….all with a generous smile and heart full of content.
Having come this far in life, Thaslima has ambitious plans for the future. She aims at achieving something very big by the end of 2017 through her ‘Change’ trust which is one changed to a Charitable trust with Thaslima, as the Managing Trustee. While she continues to work towards the empowerment of the transgender community, those who wish to get in touch with Thaslima can contact her at 9787345432.
We wish Thaslima all the very best in all her future endeavours and hope her trust ‘Change’ brings a real change in people's life.