Over 250 underprivileged children receive free education at a makeshift school that operates underneath the tracks of Yamuna Bank metro station in the capital.
The ‘Free School Under the Bridge’ was founded seven years ago by Rajesh Kumar Sharma, a grocery store owner. Kumar had gone to the spot to watch the construction of the metro station when he noticed a large number of children from underprivileged families playing nearby.
I spoke to their parents. They said they had come from rural areas to earn enough for the repayment of loans and would return soon after. I thought why not start teaching the kids and started under a tree with just two kids.The number increased to 140 within 3-4 months.Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Founder, Free School Under the Bridge
Preeti and Puja, residents of a nearby ‘jhuggi’ were denied admission in government schools for the want of an Aadhaar card. Their mother, Sunita, adamant on getting her daughters educated, decided to send them to Kumar’s school which offers free education for all without any hassles.
The school, which runs on public funding, functions in two shifts and has virtually no furniture, but the primary goal of providing education to the underprivileged keeps the teachers going.
Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
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