Bombay to Barcelona: Amin Sheikh weaves the message of ‘Humanity and Equality’ across the globe
~ The inspiring entrepreneur shared his fascinating story with the students of VMSIIHE in recently held online session ~
Panaji, July 2021: The rags-to-riches stories are the ones we’ve all heard at some point but their value is so much more in the present scenario that V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) couldn’t resist passing on the opportunity to highlight one such story and inspire their students.
The leading Hospitality Institute hosted Amin Sheikh, an entrepreneur and founder of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe, for an interactive session with the students. Amin vulnerably shared his life story from being born and living in the slums of Bombay as a child to running away from home at a tender age.
With no gloss over or sugarcoat, he told his truth of the abuse he’s had to suffer and his struggle with school and the education system. While many others would not have survived he found a way to thrive with his sheer determination to make it big no matter what challenges and difficulties he had to face.
Amin’s cafe is a manifestation of his dreams and hard work, it also signifies his epiphanic journey from Bombay to Barcelona, which helped him redefine his outlook on life and the world at large. It was in Barcelona during his first visit that he discovered libraries and saw how easily accessible they were to everyone. To fund his dream project Amin saw no better way to do it than through the story of his life. Despite having an education only till the 7th standard he wrote his autobiography, “Life is Life, I am Because of You”. He unabashedly admits to selling copies of his book at traffic signals, street markets and outside churches all across Mumbai to fund his cafe that serves as a ray of hope. This cafe which opened its doors to customers in 2016 employs those who grew up on the streets of Mumbai as well as those who were sheltered by Sneha Sadan orphanage, the place where Amin was brought up after he left his home. In addition to that, the cafe houses a library that is open for poor children, giving them a chance to experience a love for reading which is unavailable to many.
Seeing someone in the same industry as them flourish and give back to society moved the students so deeply that Sahil Parab, First Year Student of the Institute remarked, “I have seen superheroes in movies but during this interaction I saw a real superhero.” Without any of life’s advantages that we normally attribute to success, Amin made it and now, he is reaching out and giving others a fighting chance.
“From growing up in the slums of India to being the founder of Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe, Amin has had such an awe-inspiring and challenging journey. Being a social entrepreneur and a catalyst for change, he carries a legacy of strength; giving hope to every individual to be the change, believe in themselves and fight no matter how difficult life gets.” remarked Meurel Viegas, a third-year student of the institute. A superhero indeed, Amin managed to breathe a new sense of life into all who attended not just with his inspiring story but through his kind heart. In a cutthroat world that seems plagued by more evil than good, he showed us the good side of humanity motivating everyone to do their part in creating a more humane society.
