Two teachers contribute money to drill borewell in government school in Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka

The school was established in 1981 in the car shed of a coffee planter, Parvathe Gowda. Later, the planter donated land for the school, which now boasts of a playground and a building spread over 2.5 acres. Students comprise children from nearby Krishnappa Badavane, Hospete, Sattihalli, Karehatti, Boothanakadu and a few other villages nearby.

Two teachers of the government higher primary school at Machagondanahalli near Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka donated their savings and contributions from family members to drill a borewell for the school, and won the hearts of the villagers.

Heena Tabassum and Razia Sultan contributed ₹2.5 lakh to get water supply for the school, which has 250 children, as part of the charity that Muslims practice in the month of Ramzan. Realising the need for drinking water for students and staff, they decided to contribute ₹1.25 lakh each to the school.

With the cooperation of their colleagues and the School Development and Management Committee (SDMC), they drilled a borewell on March 29. “The first two points failed to yield water. On the third attempt, we got water at 350 feet depth, and went further down another 150 feet. We got sufficient water to manage the school’s requirement,” said Heena Tabassum, who has been teaching for 27 years.

She got support from Razia Sultan, who joined the school as a teacher in November 2023. Both discussed their wish to contribute funds to the school with their family members, and received a positive response.

“For us, charity is a part of Ramzan. This year, we thought of offering funds to the school. Along with my family members, relatives also contributed some money for the cause,” Ms. Tabassum told The Hindu on April 2.

Similar was the response from the family of Razia Sultan. “My husband and parents appreciated the idea. With the support of our colleagues, we could drill a borewell,” she said.

The school was established in 1981 in the car shed of a coffee planter, Parvathe Gowda. Later, the planter donated land for the school, which now boasts of a playground and a building spread over 2.5 acres. Students comprise children from nearby Krishnappa Badavane, Hospete, Sattihalli, Karehatti, Boothanakadu and a few other villages nearby.