Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe

“If I can, You can. I am because of you”, says the man behind this movement.  It is rightly said that when a person undergoes the pain, he understands other who undergo the same.

Amin Sheikh was one of the many kids on the streets of Bombay who would eat out of the garbage or rob people to survive. He was rescued by a nun and taken to Snehasadan (NGO shelter home for street kids).

He got a new life, which leads him to help others. He got a life that a street kid wouldn’t have been fortunate to get one. He had been selling books on the street of Bombay for years, through which he managed to collect fund to open this café which employs street kids.

What I liked was the act of giving someone the right skills which can help them to have a decent life by earning for themselves.  An opportunity that a street kid who otherwise would or wouldn’t have got to lead a good life. Recently he had been able to send three kids to Spain for skill development course, one of the girls got an internship in Malta to learn fashion designing. She has returned to India with the required skills and now she designs clothes. You would see some of her work in the Café displayed for sale. Amin is training Gopal in his café for becoming a good PR person. All these kids are from Snehasadan who are been helped to discover the path suitable for them by giving guidance and developing their skills.

The man himself doesn’t believe in luck but believes in hard-work. He believes in change; a change which by one is a small step but by more people joining hands together could be a revolution. He has got a better life and he is trying to help others who are less fortunate to get one. For this he didn’t have to become rich, just a passion to for betterment of street kids.  We tend to think of working for a social cause when we would become rich or have enough money as well time for it. It isn’t about time or money, it is about feeling and if you are passionate to make a change that can brighten someone’s present and future. There isn’t a need to start something big, but a small act can do wonders.

Amin aims to keep the restaurant running, so that he can continue this movement. He would be on a tour in Spain to sell his book so as to collect funds to keep the restaurant running.

Be a part of it and go visit him, dine in the café which offers organic and food with a twist! Also, don’t forget to buy his book which tells a tale about his journey!

In Bombay to Barcelona Library café, all you can experience are good vibes, purity in the thoughts, good food, warmth and people with a big smile!

For me this is a pure example of ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,’ which motivates me to write this article so I could be one of channels to spread the word across the globe.

Bombay to Barcelona Library Café

Marol, Mapkhan Nagar

Andheri East, Mumbai