Courage and determination in the face of adversity can help anyone defy all odds and hold on to hope when there at first seems to be none.

Lal Bakhsh and Miral, both speech impaired, are the living embodiment of determination. They believe that failure can never overtake them if their determination to succeed is strong enough.

Both Lal Bakhsh and Miral, father of eight children each, run a Chai Dhaba (tea stall) in Ghanorabad area in the outskirts of Khairpur, Nathan Shah. Though they are speech-impaired, they never give up to this deficiency and earning their living with hard work.

“I hate people roaming around with begging bowl in their hands, seeking alms in the name of their natural deficiencies,” Lal Bakhsh expressed with firm believe.

He said he earns Rs400 a day, which though is meager, enough to spend life with dignity. Miral said that they live in Ahsanabad, a village situated at a 5km distance. He said he is satisfied with his small wage because it gives him the pride of hard work. They informed that there 20 to 25 speech-impaired persons living in their village who all earn their living with hard work.

Ghanorabad Chai Dhaba attracts a large number of tea-lovers from different villages situated in the vicinity of Nathan Shah.

People sit around on wooden benches and enjoy testy and strong cup of tea.

Some customers termed these speech-impaired persons have become an example of determination for the people of their kind. They said people of the area flock to take sips of delicious and strong-flavored tea at this dhaba.

They urged the government to support these speech-impaired persons financially to enable them expand their business. “Govt attention will improve their standard of life,” they stressed.

Indeed, these special persons have shown that when there is a will, there is a way as they did not allow themselves begging in the streets. Despite the inflation, poverty, unemployment and their personal condition, they did not become a burden on society.

Both Lal Bakhsh and Miral said they are thankful to Allah that they earn something after a day’s toil.

Story based on Fayyaz Jafri’s report