Rajesh Kumar Sharma, an owner of a general store in east Delhi, runs a school under the Akshardham Metro Station Bridge, free of cost, for students of nearby villages belonging to poor families. The classes start at 9 am and go on till noon ”I realised no one is taking responsibility for these children, so I thought why not start by teaching them,” says Sharma, who firmly believes that education should be the right of every child Fifty students attend this “bridge-school” every day. They first sweep the place and the roll out their mats to start classes. After studying here, many of them have been able to clear their school enrolment tests and now receive formal education, says Sharma Local people from the area help Sharma by donating books and stationary to children. Parents of these students have also begun to support their children’s efforts to educate themselves

A number of volunteer teachers take out time to teach at this special school. Vikas, an MBA student from Agra, says: “I like teaching and if I can help these children study better, then why not take out time for some good work?” He lives in Mayur Vihar and teaches children alphabets as well as basic maths Another volunteer teacher, K K Gupta, runs an electrical business in Mayur Vihar and teaches the students every day without fail. “Schools do not teach them much. They come here and ask the most basic questions. I try to help them to understand as much as I can because they have no one at home to guide them,” he says Abdul Tabrej Khan, a resident of the area, distributes food and water to these students whenever he can.

Area residents regularly donate books, food, and clothes to the school, which aids Sharma in his efforts and provides an incentive for the students to attend classes When asked whether they find it difficult to sit in the open with Metro trains passing overhead, Amrita (14) replies, “I want to be a police officer and for that I have to study. How does it matter in what conditions I study as long as I get a good education?”

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