The community of migrant farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh usually live under flyovers or between bushes in temporary homes. Most of them are settled on the banks of river Yamuna, the area prone to frequent floods. 

As a consequence of the constant displacement, the children suffer the most. Their studies are discontinued and they’re often forced into child labour. 

To solve the problem of access to education, two friends from the community came up with the idea of a Sustainable Bamboo School.

A lawyer and teacher by profession, Dev Pal and Deepak Chaudhary designed the movable schools, which don’t need electricity and are well-ventilated. “When we requested for a School in the area, the National Green Tribunal rejected it as the place is flood-prone. No electricity can be provided too as the settlements are temporary. That is how the bamboo school idea came up,” says Dev.

The school, Sharda Yamuna Khadar Pathshala, is funded by the Ekta Foundation. It had less than five students in the beginning but now has over 250 of them. The duo hope to set up a computer centre as well as coach students for competitive examinations next.

Here’s how the sustainable bamboo school works:

Edited by Yoshita Rao