I always wanted to go to school but my mother told me I had to go sweep leaves and gather them for building a fire for cooking at home. So everyday I had to go and collect dry leaves instead of going to school.
My brother -- I don't know his age -- but he didn't go to school either and works in a bangle factory. My father works as a labourer in Punjab. He has lost sight in one eye (starts crying). He came to see us last year, I don't know when he will come again.
I begged and begged my mother to get admission in the Kasturba Gandhi School (a school for Dalit girls run by the government). We don't have to pay any school fee. It has a hostel, so I can stay there. It is near my house, in the same village. I can go home and see my mother but I go home during holidays. I have been home thrice in the one year that I have been in this school.
This is the first time I have travelled to Patna. It took us almost the entire day to reach here by bus. There are no railway tracks in my village. I saw a train for the first time from the window of my bus yesterday. I even saw a computer for the first time, you know?
I want to become a teacher. I want to teach others who haven't had a chance to go to school.
Image: Mintu Kumari saw a train for the first time from the window of her bus as she travelled to Patna for the festival.
Also see: I am not CEO, I am CM: Nitish Kumar
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