The Senpur Primary School in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, has some 63 students and four teachers. Located in a tiny village, the facilities would not necessarily inspire children to come to school every single day. Senpur Primary was not always the pride of Ambedkar Nagar. A while ago, toilet facilities for students were sorely lacking. Girls especially did not regularly attend school due to poor hygiene conditions. The school had no safe drinking water or adequate grounds for the children to exercise.
Open defecation around the school was in practice. These untenable conditions led to a grave increase in the school’s dropout rate over time. Both school and students had all but given up hope, that is, until a visit by Plan India’s staff.