Teacher Ignites Hope in Tribal Village School

Malati Murmu, upon moving to Jiling Sereng village in West Bengal, found education scarce for local children. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this, as online learning was impossible due to a lack of electricity and internet access. In 2020, Murmu, with a Class 12 education, decided to act, starting free classes from her mud house with only a few students.

Initially facing skepticism, her persistence, supported by her husband Banka Murmu, gradually convinced villagers. The community eventually built a modest structure with a tin roof, which now serves as a two-room learning center with blackboards. Today, approximately 45 students, mainly in Classes 1-5, attend daily, sitting on the floor for lessons.

Murmu's teaching method, beginning with the children's mother tongue, Santali, made learning accessible. She later introduced Bengali and English, preparing them for formal education. Even with her own two children, including a one-year-old baby she often carries, Murmu remains committed to teaching.

Her husband noted the village's poor educational state upon their marriage in 2020, highlighting the impractical distance to the nearest high school. Murmu's initiative demonstrates how one person's determination can foster change without waiting for external aid, providing dozens of tribal children a renewed chance to pursue education and their dreams.