“I got married at 24 – it was a love marriage. I was only in school until the sixth grade but my wife is a graduate. But we were in love, and we convinced our parents and finally got married. But just before our marriage, something strange happened.

Whenever our parents would fix the date for our wedding, someone from my family died. My grandmother died, my grandfather died and a couple of other relatives died – of course they died natural deaths, but I thought it might be sign from nature. Finally, I got married and we are living happily together with our three kids.

During my school days I was so passionate about motorcycle riding. My friends used to ride bikes and I never got a chance to ride a motorcycle.

I quit my studies and began working as a mechanic at a motorcycle workshop. My parents kept insisting that I focus on my studies but I was more interested in bikes. Being a mechanic, I got a chance to learn how to ride a bike and then later, I rode one on a daily basis.

Now I realise I was wrong. Education is more important than just riding bikes. I’m a skilled worker, and I earn well enough, but I’m worried about my kids’ future. One of my kids has started going to school now, and I hope I provide my children with education unlike myself who wasted his precious time racing and riding bikes.”

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2016