A World They Could Not Afford
The school was beautiful, with large classrooms, polished floors, a playground and children who seemed to have everything.
Some classmates arrived with expensive school bags, matching stationery sets, fancy lunch boxes and shiny shoes.
They spoke about family holidays, birthday parties at hotels, shopping trips and weekend outings.
The two sisters listened quietly.
One day, during lunch break, a classmate opened her new pencil box.
“Look! My father bought this for me yesterday. Isn’t it beautiful?”
Another girl leaned forward.
“My mother has ordered an even bigger one for me. She said I can choose whatever I want.”
Then someone turned towards the elder sister.
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“What about you? Why do you always bring the same old pencil box?”
The girl looked down at her small, slightly worn pencil case.
“It’s fine. I like this one.”
“Don’t you get new things?” the classmate asked innocently.
She forced a smile.
“Of course I do.”
But the truth was that new things were not something her family could afford whenever she wanted them.
At home, her mother carefully washed, stitched and reused whatever she could.
A school bag was not replaced because it looked old. Shoes were worn until they could no longer be repaired. Books were precious, and notebooks were used with care.
There was nothing wrong with any of it.
But the girls were beginning to feel that, in their school, having less meant being different.
And being different was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.
