Gone are the days when families in villages didn't give importance to education. The story of Kushalbhai Chauhan who lives in a single room rowhouse in Shela village but has donated Rs3 lakh for the construction of a new school is an example of the changing times.
There are many others in villages near Sanand, who are not well-off but have donated generously for the school being set up by Thakkarbapa Chhatralaya. The chhatralaya provides boarding and lodging facilities for children belonging to backward communities and has been getting government grants since 1955.
"After providing hostel facilities for Rs5 per month, we thought of building a self-financed school with modern amenities and asked for donations from nearby villages," said Dinesh Jadav, trustee of the school.
They managed to collect a whopping Rs1 crore within just eight days, after villagers donated generously for the cause without hesitation. Jadav said, "Many people have received good returns by selling their land near the Nano plant. Many of the donors are retired teachers, farmers and people from the middle class."
"The aim of the new school is to enable deprived children study in a better environment. The estimated cost of the project is Rs1.5 crore and we have already collected Rs1 crore," said another trustee, Bhagwat Jadav.
Babubhai Parmar of Charal village who donated Rs25 lakh said, "Government acquired my land and paid Rs3.5 crore as compensation. I am aware of the poor educational facilities in remote villages and wanted to do something for the cause. So I donated Rs25 lakh in my mother's name. I believe education is a must and have also motivated my friends to donate generously."
Chaturbhai Vaniya of Rupavati village donated Rs3 lakh. "I've donated my savings of 50 years. I worked as a labourer on agricultural land. My son is a bus conductor and we (six members) live in a small house. I know the importance of education in life and I've donated for the betterment of students of backward classes."
While some of donors have stayed in the same hostel, others came to know of the institution through their friends and relatives. CM Modi bestowed the institution with Gandhi award in 2006 for providing education to children of backward classes and abolishing untouchability.
