We thought we would lose Praveen last year. But God’s grace here he is with us, smiling and doing his best to become a chef,” smiles Carolyn. Fondly called akka by the inmates of the shelter home Rock children’s home in Kismetpur — Caroyln may have nurtured countless children. Yet four boys and girls, all aged between 19 and 21, are working to make a difference to their lives and the home they grew up in. Swaroopa, Navya or Natasha, Sarvesh and Praveen are setting an example with a little help from akka and a couple of senior chefs.
The result is a 16-seater pretty and cosy coffee shop called Éclaire. The coffee shop is an attempt by Carolyn to help the children eke a livelihood of their own without straying from their goals.
“After the children pass out of the school attached to the home, they are given a choice to either choose to live with their immediate family, work or continue to stay and study in the home.
Some of them chose to be on their own and the outcome wasn’t good. And it pains all of us when we see unfavourable outcome to our children. After that I have been insisting they stay in the home until they find their real calling,” elaborates Carolyn.
Swaroopa who loves numbers, handles the cash register at Éclair during the day. Is she willing to go live with her parents? She indicates a firm ‘No’. “My parents are not financially capable of taking care of me.
I will be a burden on them and I love it here. I want to work and make my own living, I am studying to become a Chartered Accountant and I am not willing to give up this good opportunity to learn,” she says. She offers coffee and even suggests that we try the chocolate eclaire at their coffee shop. Meanwhile, amidst the morning mayhem to fill the display cabinet near the cash register Praveen is making endless trips from the kitchen on the first floor to the restaurant area. He is frail, sports a ‘goatee’ but his shy smile is a winner. He suffers from poor renal functioning. “I am fine now. I wanted to join the police but akka is protective. She doesn’t want me to toil in the sun. With my present health condition, I think her decision is the best. My kidneys are weak, so I am on a strict diet and medicines, but I love to work. I love the art involved in making different dishes. I am learning and enjoying what I am doing. Ask me to make a sandwich any day, I will surprise all of you,” he laughs.
Praveen’s parents were daily wage labourers and his grandfather brought him to the home when they were unable to take care of him.
Sarvesh who is training to manage the coffee shop has a secret dream. He wants to become a photographer with an international TV channel. “Joshua Komanapalli’s work inspired me. I love doing portraits and akka calls me a narcissist. I also take a lot of selfies. Right now I work with a Canon 40D and I love what I do,” he says. Sarvesh lists out things he did with his two salaries. “I offered some amount from my first salary to God, then I went and shopped for clothes and shoes. I bought all that I could. With my second salary, I bought myself a bike,” he chuckles. And who pillion rides with him? Sarvesh is shy and says his “friend lives in the city, but I hardly get to meet her now. I will take her out when I get an off,” he giggles as he makes a puppy face at Carolyn.
When these three are busy with their respective duties in the coffee shop, it is Natasha who attends to everyone. “I have grown up in the home; it is my home and family.
I want to become a pastry chef and I am learning baking in an institute. I am also called Navya by akka because she says my smile is nice,” says Natasha.
To see the four at work, head towards Road no 12, Banjara Hills.
