NT NETWORK
VARCA
Overcoming all odds, 49-year-old Glorio Rodrigues is eking out a living for himself, his wife and son. Rodrigues, who was affected with cerebral palsy as a child, grew up with restricted body movements and managed to complete his SSC. His grit and determination did not allow failure to pull him down rather he kept battling till he completed his SSC.
Rodrigues battled poverty and disability and earns his daily bread by selling wax idols and newspapers at Varca.
Hailing from a family of farmers, Rodrigues informed that he drew inspiration from his father who was disabled yet worked in the fields and provided for the family. He said that he would accompany his father at various church fairs to sell wax idols.
“At that time we used to be the only ones selling wax idols and after the death of my father, I continued with the vocation,” he recalled.
He informed that he used to also work as a peon in the school he studied, St Mary’s High School while also selling grams, chanas and sweets. Rodrigues said his life took a sudden turn for the good as the regular newspaper vendor handed over the baton to him in 1999.
Rodrigues informed that since then people have been patronising his newspaper stall virtually from the entire coastal belt stretch and he sells around 800 newspapers a day.
From living in a humble home, Rodrigues went on to build a decent house for his wife and only son who is studying in Class VII adding that his wife is helping him with the daily sale of the newspapers and the people of Varca too have been very helpful to the family whenever in need.
“How can I forget the help and love rendered by the people of the village and surrounding villages,” he said with tearful eyes.