Bengaluru: Even if a lot many people talk about how government schools are dying a silent death due to a shortage of students, not many opt to act. But Campus2Community believes in actions to solve the problems rather than only talking about the problems.
Started by Bengaluru artist Raghu Poojar and friends, Campus2Community is doing its bit to attract more students into the portals of government schools. The members of the group took to paints and brushes and started painting beautiful paintings on the walls of the schools. This did not just beautify the place but also gave a lively feel to the school.
They have covered 17 schools so in and around Bengaluru and now have a goal of painting 150 schools in different parts of Karnataka. They hope to finish off the task before the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this year.
Painting schools in both urban and rural areas, Raghu and his team meet the villagers first, show photographs of their previous work, and then sensitize them on the importance of protecting the government schools. Several times, villagers have covered their costs of paints and painting tools, and after that even invested their own money for the installation of CCTV cameras, drinking water facility. Some villages had even paid for English teachers to be appointed to their village schools from their own pockets.
The greatest proof this team has got about the worth of their work is that attendance in these schools has improved drastically and very few kids avoid the schools now.