In the remote hilly village of Piplodi in Rajasthan, India, 60-year-old farmer Mor Singh has emerged as an unexpected hero after he turned his own home into a school following a devastating classroom collapse.
His selfless act ensures that children in the village can continue their education despite the disaster.
Mor Singh, who never attended school himself, now opens his modest two-room house to 50-60 upper primary students from the village.
Last week, the state government recognised his generosity by providing him with 200,000 rupees ($2,266, £1,682) in financial aid.
Rajasthan experienced its wettest July in nearly 70 years, recording 285 mm of rain statewide.
On 25 July, a classroom roof in Piplodi gave way, killing seven children, injuring 21 others, and rendering the village school unusable.
Just two days after the tragedy, Mr Singh and his family, which includes his two-year-old grandson, moved into a bamboo-and-tarpaulin shack a few meters from their home.
Though the new accommodation “is not an ideal accommodation,” Mr Singh is determined to prioritize the children’s education over his own comfort. “If I had not taken that quick decision, many children would have dropped out. The only other school is in a neighbouring village, which is a two kilometre (1.24 miles) trek in the hills. While the older students would have managed, the younger ones wouldn’t,” he told the BBC.
Mr Singh built his house over three years and moved in with his family 13 years ago.
The 25 July incident exposed systemic problems in Rajasthan’s school infrastructure. A government survey shows that over 5,600 schools in the state are in dilapidated condition.
After Mr Singh converted his home into a school, the state government declared Piplodi a “model village” under a federal scheme. This designation is expected to attract funding for a new school, playground, healthcare centre, and other community facilities, said local official Ajay Singh Rathore. “Building a new school in the village will take at least another one and a half years,” he added.
Piplodi is home to around 90 families, mostly from tribal communities. “We are a poor community and have hardly seen any development,” Mr Singh said. “That’s why is essential for these children to go to school, get an education and accomplish their goals.”
His generosity has earned him widespread admiration. “He is a hero for the entire village,” said Ram Dayal, whose daughter was injured in the classroom collapse and now attends school at Mr Singh’s house.
“If he had not offered his house for the school, many of the children would have dropped out. We all appreciate his gesture,” added resident Ram Kumar.