‘It didn’t happen overnight’: how a headmaster transformed his village’s dilapidated school

Thanks to headmaster Veeranna Madivalar, the Nidagundi Ambedkar School in Karnataka has transformed from a barren and affluent institution, increasing school enrollment and brightening the future of the village in the process.

At Nigagundi Ambedkar School, you will be greeted with vibrant, colorful walls, plush infrastructure, lush trees and a sprawling garden, and a library filled with illustrated books and audio-visual resources in English and Kannada alike. Today the school, located in Nidagundi taluk of Vijaypur district of Karnataka, is far away from what it used to be – dilapidated and without minimal facilities.

As a result of these remarkable reforms, the enthusiasm of the village children to go to school has increased. As a result, student enrollment has increased from 76 to 136.

So how did the change happen? For this we have to thank the efforts of 39 year old Veeranna Madivalar.

“It didn’t happen overnight. It was a gradual journey and everyone played their part in it.” The Better India. “Today, the school stands proud, and students have a place they truly enjoy studying.”

‘I wanted to give them what I didn’t have’

Born and brought up in a small family in Kaliwal village of Karnataka, Veeranna had a childhood full of struggles, he says. “My parents were not financially stable for a very long time. My father was a daily wage laborer and worked hard, earning just enough to put food on the table.”

Veeranna says that even though his father was struggling to make ends meet, it was very difficult to pay his school fees. It was his uncle who supported his education. “He used to say that he saw a changemaker and an artist in me, and wanted me to complete my education.”

As a student, Veeranna was determined that he wanted to improve education for generations to come.

“I also studied in a government school, and the infrastructure, teaching methods and school grounds were never good. As I grew up, I always dreamed of making a difference.”

“I remember my uncle introducing me to the world of Rabindranath Tagore. His literature amazed me and also inspired me to write. He believed in me so much that even today it inspires me.

After completing his schooling, Veeranna had to finance his higher education.

“In 2001 I went to Kopla for higher studies. To make ends meet, I worked as a daily wage earner at a construction site for several months,” he says.

After completing his Diploma in Education, he went back to his Taluk, “I joined an NGO working for the rejuvenation of lakes and wildlife. I used to earn Rs 750 working there and by saving the money, I was able to further master English and Kannada,” he says.

In 2007, his dream of becoming a government school teacher came true.

it takes a village

“I worked for four years before becoming the headmaster of Nidagundi Ambedkar School in 2016. By that time I had saved money and was financially stable,” he says, adding that the dilapidated building and lack of infrastructure was his own Reminds me of the school situation. ,

Using his own funds, he started small – first he planted a few trees throughout the campus, and began repairing the structure. “But I knew I couldn’t finance the repairs of the school alone and would need more help.”

And so he harnessed the power of social media to raise money. “I started posting pictures of the school with my repairs on Facebook. Word spread and surprisingly many people came forward to help me,” he says.

Veeranna says that he then got toilets built for students and staff and repaired old furniture along with bringing in new ones. “To do this I stayed at school after work hours.”

Even the students started helping with the repairs and maintenance of the school. “A gentleman from Mysore donated around Rs 1.5 lakh for the school. Another person from Chanapatna donated a smart TV to the school,” he shared.

Due to the combined efforts of these people, the school is in such a good condition today. “With the help of social media, I got a good amount of donations which helped in building a language lab in the school. Students learn English and Kannada with the help of illustrated books and audio-visual resources.

‘I live my dream through my students’

As of 2016, the school had a low attendance rate of about 76 students. Since its transformation, enrollment has grown to 136, Veeranna says.

“The change is amazing,” says Suleman Shaikh, the school’s cluster resource person. “If you would have seen the building in 2016, it was in a very pathetic condition. I am one of those people who have seen before and after of this school. Now there are washrooms and proper seating facilities. ,

He adds, “When the school looks attractive, students will want to come and study. Children now come here every morning, and we have seen an increase in attendance as well.”

Veeranna said, “While I always wanted to improve schools in villages, I also wanted to study mechanical engineering as a young boy. I didn’t have the money to fulfill that dream. However, one of my students recently completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering. This is my biggest victory and I make my dreams come true through my students.”

If you want to help Veeranna, you can contact him on 99721 20570

(Edited by Divya Sethu)