September brought a steady routine. Schools were settled and our visits became regular. We focused on reading comprehension and basic sums, rotating between villages so each school got weekly support. The work was modest and planned. One visit in Vikarabad stood out. A teacher told us that some students had improved in English after regular reading sessions. Hearing that was encouraging. In another session we helped a small group work through number problems and watched them

July arrived with heavy rains that turned most roads muddy. Some visits were postponed, and a few sessions had to be held in smaller groups inside classrooms. Still, the energy stayed the same. The children seemed happier to be back in school, and many talked about their monsoon routines — walking with umbrellas, collecting tamarind, and waiting for the power to come back during evening study time. We used this quieter month to help teachers reorganize library books and check

April felt like a pause before the year truly began. With exams approaching, our visits to the villages were shorter, but they still carried a quiet sense of purpose. Most of us spent the first few weekends checking in with teachers and students to see how they were managing revision schedules. The classrooms were quieter than usual, and even the children who usually ran around after lessons seemed focused, notebooks open and pencils sharpened. We handed out a few sets of sta

In the midst of striving for academic excellence and improving health, it is essential to remember that play is a fundamental part of...