Hiran
He dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer.
Hiran is an eighth-grader at Rani Bhabani boarding school in India. When asked what he wants to do when he grows up, he glows with confidence and says he would like to become a mechanical engineer. Not surprisingly, Hiran’s favorite subject is mathematics. To him, mathematics is like magic — a wonderful mystery with fascinating results.
For the 90 other students and the staff, Rani Bhabani is their second home where they live most of the year. When Hiran is not at school, however, he stays with his parents and younger brother in a housing complex for poor households with support from the government.
Unfortunately, the boarding schools often lack proper sanitation, causing a distraction for the students and health hazards for both the students and staff. Nonprofit organization Splash is responding by focusing on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions at 10 residential and day-boarding schools — benefitting 1,965 of the region’s poorest and most vulnerable children.
Because of Splash’s work in Hiran’s community, his school is clean. Hiran says he has seen an increase in handwashing, a reduction in water misuse, and has developed a greater understanding of his rights to a safe and clean place to learn. He’s also had fun playing the different hygiene education games with Splash staff and learning about safe water and hygiene practices. But, most importantly, he notes:
“Look everywhere. It’s so clean!”
Learn more about SPLASH, a GlobalGiving partner.
— Original story by Molly Parus, Development Coordinator at Splash
