Bombay Scottish students raise Rs 51 lakh for their bus staff

Bombay Scottish transport staff before the pandemic rendered them jobless. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Moved by the plight of the transportation staff that used to ferry them before the pandemic, students of Bombay Scottish School in Mahim have raised over Rs 51 lakh, setting an example for other school students to emulate.

Saachi Subudhi held a dance fitness session to raise Rs 15,000

The money generated through crowdfunding will be distributed among nearly 150 drivers, cleaners and didis or women attendants, who are appointed to ensure children's safety. With children moving to online learning, away from real classrooms, the school bus staff and their owners are struggling without any income since last March.

Also Read: Mumbai: School bus owners stare at another year of misery

Apart from crowdfunding, the Bombay Scottish students individually held activities to raise handsome amounts for the cause.

Lavanya Gupta and Anahita Gupta, from Stds X and VIII respectively, held an online sale of books that they have read. Apurva Nigam of Std VII baked and sold 200 cupcakes along with lemonade, whereas Std V student Saachi Subudhi put her dance skill to best use.

Apurva Nigam baked 200 cupcakes and collected Rs 15,000

"The pandemic has affected us all. I miss my school bus trips and the care of Roshni Didi, especially. When we planned to help bus didis and drivers who took care of us all this while, I decided to conduct a dance fitness session," said Saachi who raised Rs 15,000 in just one Sunday.

Apurva, who collected Rs 15,000, told mid-day, "I fulfilled my dream of baking plus I could sell the cupcakes for a good cause. A few people also contributed without taking the cupcakes as they were impressed by the initiative. It is a feeling that words can't describe."

Lavanya and Anahita's endeavour earned them Rs 16,400. "We have been fortunate to have survived the current pandemic comfortably. And it is our duty to help those in need," shared Lavanya. Anahita added, "Through the online book sale, we were spreading the joy of reading and also raising much-needed funds. Each one of us can act to help someone in need. We just have to take the first step."

The fundraiser was hosted on ImpactGuru.com, a Mumbai-based crowdfunding platform that has waived its fees. It went live on May 12 and the amount crossed Rs 51 lakh in just seven days. While parents are verifying the details of the transportation staff, the money will be distributed equally to all verified accounts directly by the crowdfunding platform.

(Left) Lavanya Gupta and Anahita Gupta earned Rs 16,400 by selling books online

One of the didis, Nazma Shaikh, said, "The school after closing in March 2020 hasn't reopened. In such a situation, all of us working on buses are facing hard times. Knowing that students and their parents are raising funds to help us is overwhelming."

Another woman attendant, Trupti Pereira, shared, "All of us have been sitting at home for more than a year. We have been trying different ways to survive. We are really thankful to our students and their parents."

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No. of days the amount was raised in