Of a change-maker
Even financial hardship could not deter Rafiqul Islam Bhola from fulfilling his childhood dream: building a school where underprivileged children of his village can receive education.
With whatever he could save of his income from running a tea stall, he set up a school on a leased-out piece of land in Thakur Palsha village of Chapainawabganj in April 2013.
The 34-year-old man, who himself did not have formal education, told The Daily Star that there had been only one person, Sohrab Morol, who could read and write in the village when he was a child. All the villagers used to go to him to read to them letters or check necessary papers like land documents or write letters on their behalf.
The village did not have a single school then and it made him think of establishing a school so that children from poor families could get education there.
He has worked as a hotel boy, rickshaw-puller and day labourer. But when he set up a tea stall on the pavement near Shah Neyamotullah College in Chapainawabganj town, he became somewhat better off.
Many years passed by but the village, about 10 kilometers from Chapainawabganj town, still did not have a school.
The nearest school, Kalupur Government Primary School, is about three kilometres from Thakur Palsha village, with a population of 1,500 at present. Only a handful of students can attend the school walking such a long distance.
In 2012, Bhola shared his idea of a school with his wife, who later supported him beyond his expectations in the venture.
He started off Sonamoni Pathshala with some 10 to 12 students, renting a veranda of Turfan Ali's house in the village for Tk 300 a month. He had to close down the school when the house owner asked him to vacate the place over his failure to pay the rent.
In January last year, Bhola leased a piece of land in the village at Tk 300 a month for 10 years. He bought corrugated tin sheets, collected bamboos and other materials from the villagers and built two makeshift rooms -- one to serve as a classroom and the other as the office room -- and resumed Sonamoni Pathsala on April 2 last year.
“I will establish this school in my lifetime even if no one supports me,” said Bhola, father of a daughter and two sons.
His daughter Khadiza Akhter, 12, is in class VI at Chauhadditola High School and elder son Raihan Rony, 10, is in class III at Kalupur Government Primary School. The younger son, who is six years old, is studying in class I in his school.
Mariam Akhtar, a graduate student, is the only teacher of his school.
Bhola said that after he had built the infrastructure he met Mariam, the only educated girl in the village, and requested her to teach at the school. She did not accept the offer at first but eventually joined the school.
There are now 53 children studying in nursery and class-I at the school, Mariam said. She and Bhola have fixed Tk 40 as monthly fee for each student but only a few of the children can afford the amount.
To pay Mariam an honourarium, money is collected only from those who can pay the fee.
“I get a very little amount but I am helping these underprivileged children. I have actually begun to enjoy the job now,” she said.
Almost all villagers earn a living by farming or working as day labourers or by pulling rickshaws.
Though school fees are not compulsory in Bhola's school, the villagers find it difficult to buy their children books, pens and other necessary study materials.
Class I student Nasir Shohag, son of a day labourer, and his classmate Samiul, son of a rickshaw-puller, want to leave the school because their parents could not bear even the minimum in terms of costs.
Assistant District Education Officer Golam Nabi said the government was ready to supply textbooks if the school wanted.
The children used to attend classes sitting on the floor, said Mariam, adding that Chitralekha Nazneen, the upazila nirbahi officer of sadar upazila, gave 17 sets of benches to the school last month.
Bhola said he now supported the school with whatever meager amount he could save after meeting his family's demands.
“I hope that all children in the village will some day have the access to education.”
Comments