My name is Jagdish.  I am 19 years old.  I came to SUPPORT in 1997.  I used to smoke, sniff glue and smoke ganja with my street friends.  Some of my street friends also came to SUPPORT.  After initial rehab, I was sent to school in 1998.  I cleared my high school examination securing a first class.  I am now studying in college. I would like to become a banker one day.

I was 8 years old when I was brought to SUPPORT.  I used to sniff solution with my friends on the streets.  During rehab, the staff at SUPPORT encouraged us to share our feelings in group discussions.  We were taught the alphabets and PT (physical training).  I am currently studying in the final year of my school.  I have many friends in SUPPORT.  We like to play and enjoy ourselves whenever someone from outside arranges a party.  I like to listen to music and watch TV.  I would like to become the Chairman of SUPPORT when I grow up.

I ran away from home because my father was an alcoholic and he used to beat me. I landed at Dadar railway station in Mumbai and stayed there for around one year.  I used to smoke, chew tobacco and sometimes drink alcohol with my street friends.  I used to earn money by selling used bottles, paper etc. as scrap.  A staff of SUPPORT met me on the railway station and encouraged me to attend the day care centre.  From there, I was sent to the SUPPORT residential rehab centre at Santacruz in 1999.  I studied at school from the 3rd upto 7th standard.  As I did not like to study further, I left school and started working as a peer educator for SUPPORT in the medical room, looking after the sick children. I was then trained to be a store-keeper in the kitchen where I have now become a staff at SUPPORT.