Rupal B Gajjar Vidya Mandir

Rupal B Gajjar Vidya Mandir is tucked away in Dediapada, which is part of the Narmada district. It’s a pretty rural area, so things are quite straightforward around here. The school building isn't very large, but it serves the purpose for the children living in this part of Gujarat. We spend a lot of time dealing with the basics, like making sure the chalk is stocked and the floors are swept before the kids arrive. Dediapada can get quite warm, so the open windows are always a necessity to catch whatever breeze comes through. You won't find any high-tech gadgets or shiny lobbies in this place. It’s more about the blackboards and the noise of students reciting their lessons. Sometimes the goats from the nearby fields wander close to the gates. The staff usually lives nearby, so we all know each other and the families of the kids quite well. It’s a tight-knit kind of place. On rainy days, the ground gets muddy and the sound of water hitting the roof makes it hard to hear sometimes, but we just talk a bit louder. We don’t really do big events or have a lot of bells and whistles. It’s just a regular school day, every day, helping the local youth get through their studies so they can move on to whatever comes next for them. It’s humble and it’s home for us.