Take Me to School Every Day: Gunjan’s Determination That Changed Her Story

For 14-year-old Gunjan Bhardwaj of Kewradih village, the words “Take me to school every day…” have become a powerful expression of hope and determination. There was a time when school was a place Gunjan feared. Today, she looks forward to going to school and insists that her family take her every day. Her journey reflects not only her personal courage, but also the importance of family, community and institutional support in ensuring that children with disabilities are not left behind.

Gunjan is a child with a disability and experiences difficulty in walking, moving around, and holding or lifting objects with her hands. Even routine activities that other children perform without thinking require considerable effort for her. Walking for longer distances is difficult, and maintaining balance while moving around can be challenging. At school, even holding her food plate properly was sometimes difficult. These challenges became more painful when some children laughed at her while she struggled.

Gradually, these experiences affected Gunjan emotionally. A place that should have brought learning, friendship and happiness had become a source of anxiety. She began feeling afraid of going to school and became increasingly reluctant to attend.

Gunjan’s father, Narendra Bhardwaj, is a daily wage labourer, while her mother, Bhuneshwari Bhardwaj, manages the household. The family also includes her 16-year-old elder brother, Chandrashekhar. With limited household income, providing additional support for Gunjan’s mobility and education was not always easy.

“We could see that Gunjan wanted to study, but her physical difficulties made even simple things very hard for her. When she stopped wanting to go to school, we were worried about her future. We wanted to support her, but as daily wage workers, we have limited resources. The support and encouragement we received gave us hope that Gunjan could continue her education,” says her father, Narendra.

A significant turning point came in July 2024, when a survey of children with disabilities was conducted under the Khushaal Bachpan Programme. During the survey, the team identified Gunjan’s situation and began engaging regularly with her family. Rather than treating the survey as a one-time activity, the Khushaal Bachpan team followed up with her parents, understood her difficulties and explored possible support.

In January 2025, a disability camp was organised in Sasawali village. With support from the Khushaal Bachpan team, Gunjan was taken to the camp for assessment. Following the assessment, the possibility of providing her with an exercise machine through the Samagra Shiksha Department was discussed. Eventually, Gunjan received the equipment.

For Gunjan’s family, the machine was more than a piece of equipment. With regular use, some improvement was observed in her ability to hold certain objects, giving her greater confidence in performing everyday activities. The intervention demonstrated the importance of identifying children’s specific needs and connecting families with appropriate government support.

However, Gunjan’s journey faced another major challenge when she completed Class 5. Moving to Class 6 meant attending a middle school in Sirri village, approximately four kilometres from her home. The unfamiliar environment, distance and concerns about managing her disability in a new school made Gunjan frightened. She initially refused to take admission.

At this critical moment, members of the Community Action Group (CAG) stepped in. Khushaal Bachpan had established CAGs in all its intervention villages to safeguard children’s rights and ensure that their concerns are addressed at community and administrative decision-making levels. CAG members Radhika, Lakki and Gayatri visited Gunjan at her home. They engaged with her family, encouraged her to continue her education and helped her recognise that her disability need not stand in the way of her aspirations and dreams.

In July 2026, a School Management Committee (SMC) member Pushpa Dahariya also met Gunjan and encouraged her to continue studying.

“Gunjan needed encouragement, but she also needed to know that people in the community were standing with her. We told her family that difficulties should not become a reason to stop her education. Seeing her confidence grow has made us very happy,” says Pushpa Dahariya, SMC (School management committee) member.
The final step came when KB team accompanied Gunjan to the middle school in Sirri village. With this support, Gunjan enrolled in Class 6 in July 2026.

For Gunjan, reaching school is still not easy. The four-kilometre distance, combined with her difficulty in walking and moving independently, makes daily travel challenging. Her grandfather currently accompanies her and drops her at school and brings her home on three days a week. The family continues to make efforts to support her attendance on the remaining days.

The girl who once feared school because others laughed at her now asks her family to take her to school. Her determination has transformed the meaning of education in her life.

“Earlier, Gunjan would become frightened when we talked about school. Now she herself says, ‘Take me to school every day.’ As parents, hearing these words makes us very happy. We know that the journey is difficult, but we also know that she wants to learn and move forward,” says her mother, Bhuneshwari.

Gunjan’s story demonstrates that inclusion is not achieved through admission alone. Children with disabilities may need continued encouragement, family support, accessible services, assistive devices, community engagement and patient handholding to remain in school.

From a child who was afraid to attend school to a determined Class 6 student who asks to be taken to school every day, Gunjan’s journey is a story of courage and collective support. The Khushaal Bachpan team helped identify her needs and connect her with support; the disability camp and exercise equipment addressed part of her functional difficulties; CAG and SMC members encouraged her; and KB team helped her take the final step into middle school.