Rajasthan villagers buy bus so that kids can attend school.

“Self help is the best help” has been proved emphatically by the villagers of Hamirpura under the Laxmangarh tehsil in Sikar. Children from the village and nearly 45 hamlets within its 3 km periphery were unable to attend school due to lack of conveyance. So, the villagers decided to take matters in their own hands and bought a bus by collecting money and gifted it to a government school.

The villagers have also indicated that they are ok with bearing the fuel expenses and driver's wages. Parents were jubilant when the new bus arrived at a corner to ferry their children to Shahid Rajendra Singh Government Senior Secondary School.

Due to the bus service, an additional 3 villages located approximately 5 to 7 km from the school have also begun sending their children to school.

"There are nearly 45 hamlets at a distance of 3 km from the school where a majority of the children are studying in classes I to V. Last year too, the villagers collected money for paying for a rented bus that used to ply. They realised that they had spent Rs 4 lakh on it. So, they thought if they will purchase a bus, it would be a better option for these children," said Mangi Lal Sharma, the school principal.

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"It is good to see that villagers have the zeal to ensure no child is deprived of education," Sharma added.

The sarpanch of Hamirpura village, Ratan Singh Shekhawat, who is an ex-servicemen said, "I have contributed Rs 1.51 lakh and rest of the money was collected by villagers. I think just because of transportation, children should not be deprived of education. I was elated when I saw smiling faces in the village."

This is not the first instance of this remarkable village coming together to do something for the village children. Last year, the villagers pooled money to get the walls of school painted and also get its fencing done.

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