Saleh is, quite simply, a champion. For the several years which have passed since his father died he has been the sole support of his family. His mother and his two sisters, who barely spoke any English, were entirely dependent on what he could earn.
This was a far cry from the dream that they came to England seeking. His father had hoped that the move would allow him to make his fortune, find good husbands for his daughters, provide a secure old age for himself and his wife, and get Saleh a good education which would lead to his earning a degree and becoming the first professional man in their family. He had hoped a doctor, or a lawyer.
Working long hours in two jobs, Saleh’s father was making progress. He managed to obtain a mortgage for a little house, and Saleh was doing well at school. Then disaster struck as he suffered a monstrous stroke which caused his death.
The only lucky element here was that the mortgage was insured and the house ownership passed to Saleh’s mother. They all had somewhere to live. But there was no income.
Saleh gave up school, and at seventeen began to work in a local restaurant during the evenings, during the day serving in a local shop seven days a week. He managed to keep their heads above water, but the dreams of good marriages and security had faded into the background. Unlike many people from their background, there was no extended family to help support them. There were no ‘aunties’ who would lend a hand with a few pounds here and there.
Saleh’s mother and sisters began cooking their traditional dishes and selling them to local restaurants. The food was good and there was a ready market for it. But now all four of them were working every waking hour, and there seemed no end in sight.
The family, like many other Bengali families, did not seek to get help from the State, in fact, they were not really aware that such help existed. They plugged along, making enough to keep themselves going, and hoping that they might some time have time to take a breath. Working hard came naturally: it was what families did to make things work.
And, bit, by bit, things did work. In the area they live in they are getting quite a name for themselves as providers of really well-prepared traditional food. They are not making a fortune. But nowadays there is a change happening. Saleh has arranged two life-changing things. First he has made it possible for the women of his family to learn English, so that they may take a fuller part in the society they live in. And he has begin to study again. Now he does not need to work quite so hard, he has begun an Open University degree course. The study will take him a minimum of six years, but he will finally achieve the degree his father had hoped for. He intends to study law.
Saleh deserves to succeed, and it seems likely he will.
When he finally qualifies he hopes to spend much of his time working with people from his background. He hopes he will one day have time to marry and raise a family. But first, of course, there is the matter of finding husbands for his sisters, and making certain all is secure for his mother. Then, and only then, will Saleh look for a wife to share his success. He’s a champion no doubt. Here’s to him!
Dianna Moylan (editorial team)
Tags: cultural differences, disaster, family, Open University
