COVID-19 fund: Little contribution by Kolkata school students making a big difference

It all started 13 years ago when students of a school in south Kolkata were urged by teachers to voluntarily contribute Rs. 1 every day from whatever they were able to save from their pocket money. Now in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak the school authorities, upon being requested by the students, have donated Rs. 1 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund from the fund raised by their contribution.

The school Niva Ananda Vidyalaya was founded by noted academician and former Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University Subhankar Chakraborty in 2003 along with some other teachers. Since the beginning, one of the key objectives of the school authorities was to instill a sense of humanity in the students.

Chakraborty said that the fund raised from the voluntary contribution of students is used for charity works.

“Seeing the plight of people especially the poor due to the COVID-19 outbreak the students suggested that the fund should be used for them. This resulted in our humble contribution of Rs. 1 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” said Chakraborty.

There is an aluminum box placed in every classroom of the school which currently has about 800 students. Every day after coming to school students drop an Rs. 1 coin in them. The contributions amount to about Rs. 60,000 every year.

The fund is used to help the poor and to stand by those affected by natural calamities.

Chakraborty said that the students are requested never to ask for money from their parents for making the contribution but to contribute from whatever they are able to save from their pocket money. “ It is completely voluntary. We want the students to understand that even a little contribution from them can make a big difference,” said Chakraborty.

The generous act of the students has earned praise from Education Minister Partha Chatterjee.

“I heartily welcome this act of kindness by the students. No word is enough to praise them,” said Chatterjee.