A viral photo of a hungry girl outside a classroom got her admission in the school

The photo was originally published in a Telegu daily with the title ‘Aakali Choopu‘ – meaning a hungry look – and was clicked at the Deval Jham Singh Government High School in Gudimalkapur. The girl, whose name is Divya, wasn’t a student of the school, but visited it daily in the hope of getting leftovers from the food distributed in the mid-day meal.

The daughter of a garbage collector and sweeper residing in a nearby slum, Divya visited the school daily for food after her parents went out for work.

The photo caught the attention of Venkat Reddy, the National Convenor at MV Foundation, an NGO that works for the rights of the girl child. He shared a clipping of the newspaper and said it was a shame that the girl couldn’t exercise her right to education and food.

Reddy then coordinated with his organisation, and other volunteers in the area, to ensure that Divya was granted admission in the same school.

He then shared a photo of Divya and her parents on the first day of school, in which the girl is wearing a new school uniform and has had her head tonsured.

In another post, Reddy said the girl was very happy to finally get admission in a school and enjoy a good meal.

After visiting the family’s home, Reddy highlighted the poor living conditions and the problems faced by other residents in the area. He also spoke of how small efforts can pave the way for young minds.