The Seat That Saved a Student

When a child starts skipping school, it is easy to assume the worst, that he has lost interest, that something is wrong at home. Sometimes the reason is simpler than any of that. For Suresh, the reason was that going to school had started to hurt. For Suresh, the reason was a broken bench and a floor he had been sitting on for years.

A bench may seem small, but for a child, it can be the foundation of a brighter tomorrow

Suresh is a 12 year old student in the 7th standard at Zilla Parishad High School, Chagalamarri. His father works at a rice mill and his mother cultivates a small plot of land during the farming season. Suresh likes school, but the school has few proper benches. Most students sat on the floor or shared cramped, unsteady desks for hours at a time. "I could not sit straight,". "After two or three periods, my back would start to ache. I could not focus after that.". Over time, he began skipping school on some days. Not because he did not want to come, but because a full day on the floor had become too much to manage.

Through Project GyanDaan, implemented by Making The Difference Charitable Trust under the CSR support of Krishnagiri Thopur Toll Road Private Limited with Interise Trust, the school received dual desk benches, classroom furniture, cupboards, and storage units. Painting and electrical works were also carried out, and school bags were distributed to students.

After the benches arrived, Suresh started coming to school every day. The back pain that had made a full school day unbearable was no longer there. He could sit through all the periods without getting up or shifting.

For 800+ students at Zilla Parishad High School, Chagalamarri, Project GyanDaan addressed something that rarely gets talked about, that a child cannot be expected to show up to learn if the basic act of sitting in class is painful.