It did not take me much time to interact with the Usthads and students in Imdadiya and all of them were very warm and friendly towards me. ASettling into my room, which I would be sharing with Shareef Usthad, was a smooth process. After organizing my belongings, I headed to the canteen for a delicious meal. Fried fish and fish curry prepared from freshly caught non-iced fish made the big difference since we do not get such fresh fishes in my village. I also met Imbrahimkka, the cook of Imdadiya and complimented about his culinary skills. I took a moment to appreciate Imbrahimkka, the skilled cook of Imdadiya, complimenting him on his culinary expertise.
As the evening unfolded, I decided to explore the village on foot, covering approximately 7 kilometers. The stroll took me through key areas like Kottaramthuruth, Cheramanthuruth, Madanvila, and Azhoor bridge. Along the way, I admired the architecture of various mosques, observed women engrossed in coir-making, and witnessed men skillfully fishing with rods under Azhoor bridge and along small canals. I realized that the village is scattered within three Panchayats—Kadinamkulam, Azhoor, and Chirayinkeezhu.
Around sunset, a stroll along the beach provided a moment of leisure, witnessing people engaged in various activities such as football and card games. The coastal ambiance revealed the serene beauty of the surroundings. I then had a long converstion over phone with Sajid, the convenor of Educare. He was impressed by my background and offered me a teaching position which I accepted without any doubt as it was a great opportunity to reach out to the community. I also had the chance to meet Salman, who heads Eduspot, another educational project of Snehatheeram focusing on high school students. During our conversation, Salman highlighted cultural tensions and underscored the economic challenges faced by teens in the harbour. The lure of fishing and related activities often diverted them from education, compounded by inadequate money management contributing to the area's developmental challenges. Then, I returned back to Imdadiya, had a stomach-filling dinner, and a heart-filled experience that made me sleep by 10 pm after a long time in my life.
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