Students save lunch money to invest for a noble cause

   The scene at a local school in Birgunj sub-metropolis last Saturday was a whole lot different than scores of other Saturdays. Instead of spending her holidays cozying up inside her house on a cold, overcast day, Sandhya Giri, a second year student of Bachelors of Business Studies at the Birgunj Commerce Campus (BCC) was found working the grounds with a pick axe in her hands while her college mates Krishna Thakur, Sandeep Sah and others were seen busy shovelling, carrying sands and sacks of cement.

    Apparently, the college students had saved up a week’s worth in their lunch money in order to put it to use for social work. The students had collected about Rs 18,000 and used the money to give a facelift to Samata School which is located adjacent to Birgunj Prison. The school has been offering education to the underprivileged and poor children in Birgunj and various parts of the country. The school hogged media headlines this year after starting to run classes for the inmates’ children inside the Birgunj Prison.

   Students studying in 11th grade at BCC had taken the initiative to renovate the school with financial assistance from several of their professors and lecturers.  Likewise, local Gyanjyoti Secondary School had provided the students with about 1,200 interlocking tiles. The students later worked with technicians to install the tiles to complete construction of the school and give it a facelift. “The only way a person’s life becomes meaningful is when they do something for others,” said Sandhya, while expressing her satisfaction at being able to contribute something towards the society. Agreeing with Sandhya, Krishna said that he could not afford to miss this opportunity to be able to give back to the society from which people like him have received so much. Even students who had never even touched construction materials seemed excited to carry the shovels and other equipments and lend a helping hand.

   According to Sushil Bhattrai, Principal of BCC, they had been inspired by the students’ initiative and were happy to help in their endeavour.  Principal Rabina Khatun of Samata School said that the students had done a good job by helping develop the school chiefly dedicated to facilitate education for children leading a miserable life after being forced to languish in the jail with their parents.  Khatun said that this desire to give back to the society among the youths was a really positive sign and this bodes well for the future of the society.