Leela Pathsala

We started Leela Pathsala right here in Vishal Garden because we saw kids in Washim needed a place where they could just learn without too much pressure. It isn't a fancy building with glass walls or anything, but it’s ours and we keep it clean. My cousin helped with the painting when we first moved in. Most days it’s pretty busy with children running around the halls. A lot of time goes into making sure the classrooms are ready for the morning shift. Sometimes the traffic near Vishal Garden gets a bit loud, but once the doors are shut, it’s mostly just the sound of teachers talking and books flipping. There isn't a giant staff here, just a few of us who live nearby and care about how the local kids are doing. It’s a lot of work, honestly. Every evening after the last student leaves, we sit down and talk about what happened during the day, which kid is struggling with math, or who needs a bit of extra help with their reading. Those big textbooks that nobody understands aren't used here. Keeping things simple is better. If a kid doesn’t get something, we just explain it again differently. Washim is a small place in some ways, so everyone knows everyone here. That feeling is nice. It makes the work feel more like helping neighbors than just running a school. We just show up every day and do what needs doing.