Amrit Vidyalaya

Alwa is a pretty quiet spot in the Panchmahal district, and our school is right there on the Kalol Malav Road. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else, so you often see the same faces every morning at the school gates. The road outside isn't too busy, which is good for the kids, but it can get quite dusty when the wind picks up in the afternoons. The school building is simple, just two floors with a flat roof where we sometimes hold small gatherings if the weather isn't too hot. We have a small garden area in the front, but the plants struggle a bit during the dry season. Inside, the classrooms are filled with the smell of chalk and old wood. Most of our teachers live in Kalol and take the bus or ride their scooters to get here every day. We don't have any high-tech gadgets or smart boards; we mostly just use the old-fashioned blackboards and textbooks. Life here moves a bit slower than in the big cities, and we like it that way. Sometimes the water pump acts up and we have to call the local mechanic to come and take a look at it. It’s a very local operation, run by people who have lived in this area for a long time. We just show up, do the work, and make sure the building is locked up tight before we head home.