A school where dreams are born

The school for underprivileged children in Laxmipur of Rajshahi offers promise. Situated on a donated piece of railway land, the 'School of Hope', established and run by 24 university students, offers free education, books and school supplies to 35 children who found all doors of opportunities slammed before them. 

In recent times, we have seen similar initiatives by university students to extend a helping hand to impoverished children in different parts of the country.  The school in Rajshahi stands out among them   simply because it has instilled in its pupils dreams of   becoming whoever they aspire to be in life. A student named Shimu who was kidnapped and abandoned only to find her mother go missing wants to be a TV journalist so she can find her. Another child whose father was murdered dreams of becoming a judge so he can seek justice. 

In a land too long in the thrall of fatalism, the school in Laxmipur promotes the idea of the rational, autonomous individual shaping their own destiny.  However, mostly dependent on financial contribution of the operators and a couple of philanthropists, it needs assistance.  The school immediately needs a high-speed internet connection lacking which the online courses offered to students are sometimes interrupted. We draw the attention of the Ministry of Education and non-government organisations to provide them with adequate facilities. 

Like a ripple going out of a pond, the lessons learned from an institution like this can go out all over the country spreading the message of education for all.