Saying Bye in Gujarat

After visiting multiple villages in Gujarat, relieved that the Pratham Teaching Learning Material had been distributed to the Anganwadis by the state government, and satisfied by the teaching methods the Anganwadi workers were using, I traveled with Vasant (a Pratham Gujarat 6-year veteran) to the village of Raipur in the Gandhinagar District of Gujarat.

When we arrived at the Anganwadi there, we found 30 children in lines with plates in their hands. It seemed that the Sarpanch (the elected community leader) was hosting a lunch for the entire village to mourn the passing of his father and that the children were preparing to head out for that. While we were speaking with the Anganwadi worker, a large tractor pull up in front of the school. Behind the tractor was a large flatbed and we realized that was how the kids were traveling to the Sarpanch’s home. The kids eagerly jumped onto the flatbed and I (just as eagerly) ran over to get some pictures. When the tractor had left and we had finished speaking to the Principal, we set off to go back to Ahmedabad on Vasant’s motorcycle. On the road, we caught up to our friends…

(Look out for the Principal of the school as he rides by us with a handkerchief around his head, and be sure to watch to the end to catch a quick cameo by the daring filmaker himself-- me.)

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