We reconstructed and brought new life to damaged classrooms!
In a remote part of Maharashtra, we took on the task of rebuilding classrooms at Chatrapati Vidyalaya in Sakhre village, Palghar district. These classrooms were in terrible condition. Two of them had weak walls made of simple bricks and soil, without any plaster or color. They lacked basic facilities like tiled floors, ceiling fans, and tube lights. The third classroom was even worse; its wall had collapsed during heavy rains in July 18, luckily with no students inside.
The students and teachers faced great difficulty in these classrooms. Rebuilding them to meet basic safety standards became essential, but the school lacked the financial means to do so.
About the school: It had a remarkable 96% pass rate in the 10th grade, with the top student, who walked 7 kilometers daily to attend, scoring an impressive 93%. The school had 1100 students from class 5th to 12th, all from Adivasi tribes living below the poverty line. Their dedication to learning deeply moved us. The principal, dedicated to the school and its students for 22 years, didn't charge any fees. Interestingly, the school had more girls than boys, a bit unusual for a tribal school.
So, we decided to help. We engaged with friends, the school's principal and teachers, and construction contractors. We assessed the work needed and its costs. With commitments from friends to contribute financially, we began the project by selecting a contractor. We carefully oversaw the procurement of materials like bricks, sand, cement, tiles, paint, and roofing. We ensured both material quality and timely completion of the work, which was finished within 30 days.
The result?
The villagers, sarpanch, panchayat, teachers, donors, parents, and especially the students, warmly welcomed and celebrated the inauguration of the renovated classrooms.
The initial pictures below show the sorry state of the classrooms in the village. Subsequent photos clearly document the step-by-step progress of the reconstruction effort.
Not only were the classrooms now sturdy but also visually appealing! Take a look at the before-and-after photos.
AfterBefore