Awami Urdu High School & Junior College

If you go down towards Bandra West, near the Jama Masjid, you’ll find us in the Old Slaughter House Compound. It’s a very busy part of Mumbai, as anyone who lives here knows. Awami Urdu High School & Junior College is tucked away in this crowded corner. There is always noise from the street, people calling out, and the sound of traffic nearby. Our school is a bit old, and the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but it’s full of life. You can hear the children reciting their lessons through the windows. Space is a bit tight, which is just how things are in Mumbai, but we make it work. We have been here for a long time, serving the local families in the Bandra area. The compound has a lot of history to it. It’s not a polished private school with a big playground. It’s just a place where kids come to learn Urdu and other subjects. We have a lot of stairs and narrow hallways. In the rainy season, the dampness gets into everything, but we just keep going. The teachers are part of the community, and we see the parents at the local shops all the time. It is a very grounded place. We don't pretend to be anything we are not. We are just a school and college for the local kids. That is our daily reality here.