72-year-old takes on the task of educating the downtrodden

Jammu: A retired government employee in Jammu, 72-year-old Raj Bharti, is running a relentless campaign for educating the downtrodden children from the slums.

If she would not have come to their rescue, the children would have probably ended up as rag-pickers or beggars or even turned to drug addiction.

Bharti begins her day by meeting slum dwellers in Jammu and convincing them for sending their children to school.

For over a decade she has been running the school for the poorest of the poor slum dwelling children from her own savings and pension money.

"You think a lot of help is needed? Yes, we need help from the government, but we don't go asking for it, we always have to fight for getting the affiliation," said Raj Bharti.

And what's now come up as a small three room building was initially a school run under a tree for eleven years.

All the 200 children in the school get free education and uniform.

"If I would not have joined the school, I would have become a labourer," said Arshia, a student.

Raj Bharti is doing a great job by dedicating everything possible for the growth and education of these children, but clearly she would need a lot of help to sustain this initiative.