Sustainable Development - International School of Public Leadership

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A villager, Jato, asked, “Do you expect us to go to school
at this age?” Hasan laughed and replied, “It may be
rather late for us, but our children can surely learn.
There are hardly 24 children in the village. The village
will certainly progress if they get an education.”
Pujya Kaka asked villagers whether they backed this
suggestion. All the villagers agreed to free their kids
from housework and send them to school. Hasanbhai
then went to Anjar and approached an organisation
called ‘Ulma-e-Hind’and explained the situation.
Asking for help, he invited them to visit Bhambhar
Wandh.
Workers of the organisation visited the village, asked
questions about the people’s expectations and then
agreed to start a small primary school. Ulma-e-Hind
workers made it clear that they would arrange for a
teacher, but the responsibility for running the school
and procuring the study material would lie with the
villagers. Hasanbhai accepted the responsibility and
requested an educated gentleman to teach at the
school, which was started in the village mosque.
The school started but there were no facilities such as blackboard,
slates, chalk, etc. The teacher came to give lessons, but children
simply played games in the absence of study material. At this
stage, VRTI came to the village’s rescue. VRTI contacted another
organisation ‘Giants’ who gave donation for the purchase of
essential material.
Lo and behold! The school started functioning in full swing!
From the very beginning, Hasanbhai remained in touch with the
teacher and school children. If a child failed to attend school, he
would personally go to the child’s house to know the reason for
his absence.
The good Samaritan died recently in a truck accident, leaving behind
grief-stricken villagers. Hasanbhai’s younger brother Mamadbhai
now shoulders the responsibility of running the school.
Hasanbhai is no more, but his dream school continues to bring
the light of education in the lives of children. His leadership and
determination to educate the future generation motivated several
to work for the betterment of their community.