This school is in Hosanagara taluk, Samagodu village. The school is amidst nuture and is about 1 km from the main road which connects Shimoga - Kollur. About 8km from Nagara and about 25 km from hosanagara town.
We (me and my dad) took a shortcut from my house (in KaraNagiri, Hosanagara taluk). We crossed the beautiful Sharavati backwater and rode about 7 kms in the forest to reach the school.
School kids were about to finish their classes and go back to home. When we went and told that we would like to know more about the school and some of things which they have done which we had heard from local people, they happily welcomed us. Kids were very enthusiastic to show us what they have done along with their teacher Jyoti who is a guest teacher there. Total there are 19 kids (1st to 5th std) and 2 teachers (one of them was on leave).
They started with their garden!
They have made a 8 division in their garden. Each division is owned by a group of kids(2-3). and The group will be responsible for the plants of their respective division.
The plants include Vegetables, Fruits, Roses and other flowers, Medicinal plants and each plant has a name board and You believe it or not the Kids know the names of each plant and the medicinal value of each of them.
They took me around their garden and explained about each plant. I was stunned.
They use those vegetables/medicinal plants for their mid day meals
Then they took me to the next place where the borewell water is being used for the sprinklers in the garden.
Here is the interesting thing they have done.
They have connected the borewell to the seesaw through the rope. And whenever kids play, the borewell water will be pumped to a tank nearby. And one more pipe is connected to the sprinkler system through a cycle. Whenever kids do cycling, the water will be pumped from the tank and passed to the sprinkler system.
Isn't it simple and yet amazing thing!
Next they took me near to their sintex tank.
There was a huge funnel to the tank! Yes it was the old unused Dish which we used to have long back before these DTH and cable connection came.
They had done this to store the rain water in the tank.( heavy rain fall happen in western ghats and saving this rain water is one of the best ways of utilizing water)
Next they took me to their open air auditorium! The entire stage was covered by the plants. The "AvarekaLu" which was grown there was used for their mid day meals. and hear and their I saw small wires tied from on plant to other plant. When I asked what is that, they told me that they hang their library books on those wires in the evenings or during their study hour. So that they can pick up the books they want and read it amidst nature!
Next they took me to show their waste management system.
These kids know better than us! They do waste management better than what we do (i doubt if we are doing :P ) here.
Some of the unused vehicle tires they have collected from near by villages and made a dustbin out of that to put the waste. And they have separate place for plastic waste and organic waste.
Next they showed me their "Malnad Mane". This is a small shelter kind of a thing made of bamboo and the dead arecanut plant stem (we call dabbe in kannada).Which had shelf as well
The local people have donated their ancient antiques which they used to use olden days.
This will make the kids learn the history better by seeing those things also in this way they can preserve these beautiful things for the future.
All the dead plant stems and bamboos they have collected from the forests and they have used like a pot to plant the different medicinal plants. Here is a small look how they have decorated through that.
Also they have used the tubes and connected to small pipes to form a drip irrigation.They have made multiple "Ingu Gundi" (water sinking pits for rain water harvesting) as well
And also they have used those paper plates , paper glasses and some of the stuff from the farm in their classes for day to day learning!
Couple of kids walk 8km in the deep forest to come to the school everyday and rest of them walk 4-5km everyday. Even the teachers come from 20 km far ( you know how the bus frequency here in remote places) . These amazing 19 kids made my day today!
In this today's speedy world where people are busy in preparing their kids for mechanical life, I feel this school teaches a lot of lesson! Simplicity, Creativity , Awareness what not.
This school is motivation for rest of the schools and also all of us.
This wouldn't have happened without the teacher's interest. They are putting their heart and soul into the school. Also amazing school committee and parents support and help. Feeling very proud of them!
Came back with lot of lessons and thoughts!
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