{
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    "slug": "sureshs-dream-became-a-reality",
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        "rendered": "<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<section  id=\"block_19d03574b43c0318fb1333a1a2092701\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf my 17-year-old self stood in front of me today, I would say: \u2018Worry not, we can manage anything. You have crossed all hardships.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2013, Suresh\u2019s family were in search of stability after the passing of his grandfather. Desperate to build a home and settle down, they accepted an advance of 25,000 rupees (approximately HK$2057) from a brick kiln owner. The promise was simple: 500 rupees (approximately HK$41) for every 1,000 bricks. But the reality was a cycle of verbal abuse, intense labour, and manipulated ledgers.<\/p>\n<p>But the reality was a cycle of verbal abuse, intense labour, and manipulated ledgers.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23690\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-16x12.jpeg 16w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-800x600.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<section  id=\"block_d2ac1ead054bf3db30417f776eea680d\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After months of backbreaking work, the family began to question why their pay kept shrinking and their alleged debt kept growing.<\/p>\n<p>Suresh was the only one who could read.<br \/>\nHe reviewed the owner\u2019s ledgers and warned his mother: \u200b\u201cThey are falsely increasing the debt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One day, the physical labour nearly cost Suresh his life.<\/p>\n<p>Forced to climb a palm tree without safety gear, the 16-year-old fell, sustaining near-fatal injuries to his back and kidney.<\/p>\n<p>Suresh\u2019s father carried his son to a government hospital. His father had to sign a paperwork acknowledging that his son might not survive surgery. Suresh recalls, \u201cThe man I have only known to be tough, broke into tears that day, before my eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23691\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-18x10.jpeg 18w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-2.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-800x450.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<section  id=\"block_9ea632bfaa5006d8ba5909a19349c35e\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After conducting an investigation, IJM\u2019s local partner immediately met with the district\u2019s Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) to file a complaint.<\/p>\n<p>The RDO and police executed the rescue operation right away. Suresh\u2019s family was finally free after six years of violence and abuse.<\/p>\n<p>During that operation, young, terrified Suresh had felt a hand on his shoulder. A police officer looked at him and said, \u201cDon\u2019t worry kid, we are here to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In that moment of kindness, a dream was born. Suresh says: \u201cThat was the day I decided to become a police officer. I wanted to be to others what the officer was to me.\u201d<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23692\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-16x12.jpeg 16w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rescue-suresh-case-3.jpeg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-800x600.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<section  id=\"block_26b1dfcdee3c2a0ea2d1e9043e1cfafd\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u200bSuresh and his family along with 46 other labourers were brought to freedom that day in 2019. The government provided Release Certificates to formally cancel their falsified debts and help them access long-term benefits for their recovery.<\/p>\n<p>A van was arranged by the district administration to transport them to their native villages. Police filed their First Information Report (FIR) and a chargesheet against the kiln owner, and the case is now in trial.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23689\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_93202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<section  id=\"block_f109e25fa22ac4d26618c1585f0e2595\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Today, Suresh stands tall as a police officer under the Commando Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police Department, which is a specialised enforcement branch activated as needed during times of increased need (like riots or disaster management).<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s the first and only member of the tribe in his district to join the police force.<\/p>\n<p>When Suresh is in his uniform, even his former teachers in the village stand up to salute him. The children in his community look up to him. Many young boys and girls aspire to be like Suresh when they grow up.<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23693\" style=\"width:600px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ijmhk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026.04-Suresh-_125_.jpg_202604TAN_Suresh_Full-Use-1-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<section  id=\"block_3fa63e647b70a3c41aeeddd86c4f55d1\">\n  <div class=\"container\">\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n      <div class=\"col-xl-6 col-lg-7 col-md-9 col-sm-10 col-12\">\n        <div class=\"story_brave_content\">\n                    <div class=\"story_content\">\n            <p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Now, Suresh walks with confidence and assurance in his life of freedom.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If I met the owner today, I wouldn\u2019t be scared,\u201d Suresh says with quiet confidence. \u201cI would approach him in my uniform and proudly tell him who I have become.\u201d<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>",
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