The Blossom Bus: Help Rural Girls Get To School!

The Government Girls’ High School in Aharwan, Haryana has a newly appointed principal who noted specially the positive impact that Blossom Bus has had at the school. Mrs. Renu, the principal, admitted that she was nervous when she was assigned to the school in Aharwan, as it is in a very rural location, about 75 kilometers from her home in Gurgaon. However, when she arrived at the school, she was greeted by the sight of several Blossom Busses in the parking lot, and was told that the busses offer free transportation to girls from several surrounding villages, making it possible for them to attend school. Mrs. Renu was touched by the impact that the Blossom Bus had had on the school and felt encouraged by the efforts of Lotus Outreach at Aharwan.

Mrs. Renu feels that the presence of Blossom Bus has improved the school as a whole, by ensuring that more girls from nearby communities are able to attend. She believes that Blossom Bus has given Aharwan a good name and she is happy to be a part of this school where girls are studying in a safe, supportive and comfortable environment. 

Madhu and Kajal from village Bichpuri

After an irregular and challenging year, schools in Haryana are open for girls in grade 10 and 12, who have to prepare for their board exams. Madhu and Kajal are from village Bichpuri and attend the Government Girls’ School in Aharwan. They were not able to attend online classes as they do not have smartphones or access to laptops. Though the lack of technology in these rural areas was raised as an issue to the local authorities, and there was some discussion on providing students with tablets for online learning, the government ultimately decided it was too high a cost to provide tablets to students. Thus, with schools closed from March through October, preparation for these important exams was put on hold, and many of the girls felt that this year would be wasted if they were unable to pass. Furthermore, for girls like Madhu and Kajal, their families are unlikely to support them repeating an entire year if they were to fail the examinations, meaning they would have to drop out and find work or be married off. 

With schools reopening, however, Madhu and Kajal are feeling hopeful. Currently, only 10th and 12th graders are attending school, so all the teacher’s attention is on helping the girls prepare for and pass these crucial exams. With enough support and determination, the girls feel that they can pass and continue forward to Senior Secondary School, and into their futures.

Thank you for supporting girls’ access to education through the Blossom Bus.

Links:

• Learn more about Blossom Bus