Teacher Leaves No Child Behind

I felt so happy when a little girl from my class walked up to me and said, “Ma’am, I want to become a teacher just like you when I grow up.” When I was growing up, I had never thought I could become a teacher, let alone becoming someone’s role model. Till the age of six I had not even been to school.

I come from a village called Birai in Balesar Tehsil of Jodhpur district. Home to 300 families, it is one of the most remote communities in the state of Rajasthan. Most of these families rely on labour work to earn income which supports their livelihood.

Education is very important for us. I remember a time when almost nobody in our village could read or write. It is not long ago at all. Nobody in my family stepped in a school before. It was my mother who decided to educate me and my three sisters. My father, who worked as an agricultural labourer, supported her decision and us in studying as much as we could.

I might not know everything in the world, but what I do know I strive to use to the best of my abilities. My passion for learning and helping children to do the same is what led me to become a school teacher.

We have a mission of bringing every child in our villages to school. We visit the communities every month. We talk to parents and grandparents to convince them to send their children to school. We try to understand their issues and propose solutions. At times the solution is simple, yet it can make big difference in a child’s life.

There’s nothing I want more than to see my students grow and make their dreams come true. If they have an education, they can get a job and get more opportunities. Education opens the world, regardless if you want to stay in your village or go somewhere else.

– Mannu Kanwar, Teacher, Satya Bharti School, Kanasar, Jodhpur