I have been doing this work in Aabpara for three years. I used to work as a waiter in the Aabpara community centre; I started doing that when I was in the fourth grade and continued working part-time while I was going to school.

When I worked as a waiter I would be paid Rs600 for every event. But working as a waiter was not reliable because it depended on events so it was not a steady, day-to-day job.

I run this business myself. When I was in school I would put the money I earned as a waiter in committees and then I used Rs35,000 to start this. I pay Rs700 a day in rent to sit at this spot, and I make between Rs500 and Rs600 in profits every day.

I have three brothers and one sister, and I am the second youngest. We live with our parents in a house in a katchi abadi in Aabpara. My father has a barbershop, and so does my eldest brother, while my other older brother has a business like mine also in Aabpara.

Our financial situation at home was such that we could not afford an education. My sister is the only one pursuing an FA, and my youngest brother is studying as well. Everything I earn I give to my mother.

I learned how to do this work from my brother. Nowadays, most people ignore CDs and instead choose to download content on their phones. People download a mix of things, from movies to children’s games.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2020