I am currently a second year MBA student, having a two and a half years of IT experience behind me after completing a bachelor in Technology. Now that may sound as quite ordinary and almost the routine chores of any middle class Indian, but behind it lies another story – The story of Sabar Welfare Trust. Since childhood, I was someone who maybe unconsciously knew what it is to empathize and what it is to sympathize. I choose the former and spreading education to all and sundry was the main objective of all of these. From doing small acts of kindness to finally able to do a huge thing- that influences so many is what drove me to make an impactful person. From college, me along with a friend of mine, used to the deep interior villages of West Bengal to teach the children for free and provide them stationary and books. Through this journey, we came in touch with a tribe called Sabar- one of the most, if not the most, underprivileged tribe of India where even today people don’t drink water from their homes or even touch their shadow. They somehow seemed to accept their fate and live with this huge hardship, living in darkness even in broad daylight. That’s where we steeped in – lighting their homes with the light of education. We built a residential school for their children where 25 of them now stay, learn and eat. The journey was not smooth – it started from only the two of us. We spread this idea to everywhere- to all the friends, relatives we knew. The cost of building the school was estimated to be 25 lacs and the yearly expense of around 10 lacs. The idea was simple- 2500 people contributing Rs.1000/- each and 1000 people contributing 1000/- each every year after the school was made. We appealed in all social media and others. People came forward in huge numbers –we built a Non-Profit Organization (Sabar Welfare Trust) and what started from two members became a group of 150-200 active members now. The school was inaugurated in 26th January 2019. The teachers are appointed from Kolkata, and they live there building them and educating them from the core in all aspects. Our goal is simple –Educate a tribe and the kids in turn will influence and make the whole tribe come out of the shade and live a better and healthy than being touted as ‘untouchables’. This story inspired a huge number of people and for many it regained their faith in humanity. The power of good work is too huge, we only hear what’s going wrong, but the amount of good people and good deed around us are enough to make our day. Through this journey, people doubted me, my intentions – even some of them called me a thief as well. But in the end of the day - People who call you mad, don’t say anything to them. Today who will throw dirt at you thinking you are mad, will come with a garland tomorrow once they realize. Today, who are sitting on a cushion for the weight of their pride will, one day, bow down to you only through love. People might call you crazy – The life of a dreamer is not easy.
T.A.PAI MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
