Not long ago, it was just about two years back when Antor Ahmed felt jealous to see anyone attired in school dress walked past him holding books or backpack. He wished if he could study in a school.
“I always felt jealous – why I cannot wear school dress, cannot go to school and cannot study,” said Antor, a 10-year boy, who used to work at a furniture shop at Rajshahi town.
Parents of this ill-fated boy, who live at a slum at Koitapukur in Rajshai city, did not allow him to study as they thought studying is worthless.
“They (parents) thought that it would be more effective and beneficial, if I go to work and earn some money,” Antor said.
“But one day around two years back, my dream came true when I got a chance to get admitted in a school and to study there,” added Antor, who is now studying in Class 2.
Not only Antor, but also 200 more underprivileged children are now getting the opportunity to study in this school.
‘Alo’r Pothe Biddyaniketon’ (School on the way to light) has come up with the opportunity for the children living in slums in Rajshahi city.
Another Class-2 student Abdul Halim, who used to collect wastes and scraps from dustbins and streets, now can write paragraphs in English.
“I want to study. I want to be a police officer in future,” said Halim. Currently, he spends most of his in studies.
The school was founded in 2015 by a youth, Abu Zafar, who came up with the hope of light of education for the slum children.
Zafar, who has a post-graduate degree, did not care for his better career, high salary or anything else for which all others run after.
His struggle started from 2003 when he just completed his masters. One day, some children of the slum came to him and kept requesting to teach them. That was the beginning. He started teaching the students.
As days were going on, his passion to teach the underprivileged children was heightening.
