Patiyal Saraswati High School

Our school, Patiyal Saraswati High School, is situated in Padhiun, which is a small village area in Mandi. It’s quite a climb to get up here if you aren’t used to the hills. The school itself isn’t a massive complex, just a few blocks of rooms where we hold classes for the local children. Mandi is a beautiful place, but life here can be quite practical and tough sometimes. We started this school because the kids in Padhiun needed a place closer to home so they didn't have to travel so far every single day. The building is painted a simple color and we try to keep it clean, though the mountain dust gets everywhere. We have a small office where we keep all the records in big ledgers. It’s not a digital setup like you might find in a big city. We know all the parents by name because we see them at the market or in the village. The teachers are sensible people who don’t mind the quiet life here. During the winters, it gets really cold, so everyone wears their thickest sweaters and we try to keep the rooms as warm as possible. There isn't any fancy equipment here, just the basics like maps on the walls and a few shelves of books. It’s a quiet life, but we feel like the school belongs to the village. We just keep our heads down and do the work.