By Michael Rodrigues, Team Mangalorean Udupi
    
Udupi :  In  a 10 acre Kurusu Kudru, an island near Kallianpur an aged father and his young daughter are  leading their life very boldly amidst all sorts of unsavory conditions. Their family is the only one left behind in the area. Facilities like proper road, water, electricity and all such other necessities have been denied to them. Year after year, life becomes miserable to both father and daughter.
    
Rosline Barnes aged 21 years is the youngest daughter of Cyril Barnes and Alice Barnes, who is studying, BCA in Milagres College Kallianpur.  Her mother Alice Barnes died 14 years ago and father was taking care of the children. Due to ill health Cyril Barnes has been bed ridden from the past10 years.  Now all the responsibility has come on Rosline's shoulder as her elder sister's got married and are staying with their spouses. Her only brother is working in Mumbai.

Rosline Barnes is currently studying BCA in Milagres College Kallianpur and wants to continue her studies, she is interested in pursuing MCA. Being in absolute poverty she has never showed difficulties out. The present family situation has hardened her stand to accept life with grit, determination and poise.
 
Cyril Barnes and Alice were blessed with four daughters and one son,  Rosline is the youngest in the family. When she was very young, she lost her mother and grew up with the support from her father and brother.  Rosline's elder sisters are married and residing in other cities. Rosline's only brother Melvin Barnes,  is presently working in Mumbai. Cyril and Rosline are supported by the family members with their capacity.  Rosline is pursuing her education without any basic facilities and a decent house to stay.
 
The island being managed by Milagres Church Kallianpur had three families, who moved there 80 years ago. Cyril who was working in Mumbai earlier, returned back home, and earned a living here by supplying sand from the river. 10 years ago he was incapacitated, where he lost sight of his one eye, he is also a asthma patient.  Out of the three families in the island, two left the place few years ago and Rosline's family is the only living in the island.
 
Seeing the pathetic condition of the house and the living condition of the family the Church administrative council took the initiative and renovated the house. But there is no electricity and Rosline used to study under the kerosene lamp.  The island is located 6 kms away from town, there is no road or electricity from past 80 years.
 
Seeing the performance of Rosline, former principal of Milagres College Rev Fredrick Mascarenhas and other staffs of the college donated a solar lamp to Rosline last year. During monsoons, Rosline has to use her kerosene lamp to study. Although there is a well in the island, the water is not safe for consumption since it turns salty due to geographical conditions of the place. Drinking water needed for personal use is brought from the Grama Panchayath tap by boat!

This island being desolated, it takes 20 minutes by boat to reach the town. Water, boat, isolation have all been part and parcel of Rosline's life. Rosline is a courageous girl-she can row the boat, and also swim. She herself rows her boat to go to college and also to do other errands every day; this has been her day to day life for the past 7-8 years. She isn't scared of wind, flood, rain - nothing bothers or scares her! A little miscalculation could wind up her little life, surrounded with a hectic life in an island with her father, and a brother in Mumbai.

Every day at least 8-10 times she rows the boat to and fro for doing errands and other needs. The flood water sometime in the monsoon hits their house steps, thereby threatens of her confidence in herself. If the house is surrounded by flood for weeks, God alone knows how will both Father and daughter manage to live in that drastic conditions. Having all the problems in day to day life Rosline excelled in SSLC scoring 72%, in Pre University she has scored 60%. Both father and daughter love the island and are not ready to leave it.
 
Did this story of Rosline and her father convince you all to come forward with your helping hand, so that the two could have a much better life than the one they are in now. Will someone reach out to the family ? Why Rosline's voice can't reach the ears of our community around us? The brave 21 year old Rosline who loves nature as well as her father has put her life in risk to keep her father happy in his house.

Those who would like to help Rosline may send a cheque or remit to Roseline

Barnes Bank Account:
A/C. No. 01442210010070
IFSC NO. SYNB0000144
Syndicate Branch Kallianpur
or call Cyril Mathias (Rosline's Teacher) mobile at 9448815443