Many years ago, when a foreign tourist asked him the price of an orange in English, Harekala Hajjaba from Mangalore did not understand what had been said and felt embarrassed. He had not had the privilege of any kind of formal education or understanding English. “That day I vowed to make a school,” he said and decided in his mind.
This is where the story of kindness, change and him building the future for many children started and the wings of this plan are spreading with each passing day.
Hajabba, a 69-year-old fruit vendor, built a primary school with his earnings of Rs 150 per day. For him, kindness travelled through the virtue of providing the right to education to many children who couldn’t afford it. At a meagre income of Rs. 150 per day as well, his dedication towards building a future for children made a huge impact and drove the village to stronger foundation for the coming generation.
According to a report in The Better India, Hajabba’s village Newpadapu (in Mangalore) did not have a school for many years. All the village children were deprived of their right to education. Then, in 2000, Harekala Hajabba invested all his life savings and started a school on one acre of land.
Today, the school has grown to 175 students with classes up to the 10th standard and teaches various subjects.
Harekala received the Padma Shri from the President of India for the year 2020 for his efforts in education and social empowerment. Due to the pandemic, the ceremony happened in 2021 and he walked to the President receiving the recognition he deserves for his efforts!
Stories like his show how much kindness can achieve and change the situations for someone who needs basic education and a bright future!
Here’s to more inspirational people like Harekala- to making kindness a norm and to changing the world, one good deed at a time.
aidbees works with 50+ NGOs across 10+ themes including education, health, empowerment. You can support them and join us in spreading the Kindness Revolution. Click here to explore more!
