The sun is not yet showing its rays in the eastern sky of the big island that I already get up with my mom. My name is Behaja, I am 7 years old and I'm getting ready to go to the school in Aragnana, it is almost an hour's walk from my little village of Pangalanes.
The monsoon started a few days ago and we have rain in the morning. It’s just 5 thirty in the morning and it's already hot enough. As a breakfast, I eat "sosoa", simple rice cooked like a soup and seasoned with sugar.
It is 6 a.m., I have to leave if I want to make it to school on time. I am in CE1 class in the small community school of Aragnana. I start my class 7 at seven thirty and I have over an hour's walk to reach my classmates. I used to do near 2 hours of walking to reach the public school. Nowadays, The "school of hope" makes my life a lot easier because I can concentrate better, I am less tired and I have more courage to continue my studies.
I have to follow a small path that runs along the Pangalanes canal and cross two small rivers before reaching my school. On the way, we become more and more numerous as we approach. My school friends are all from around.
Nowadays, we no longer have to worry about having to go home because the teacher hasn't arrived or she has to go to work in another school. Our teachers live on the school premises. We are sure to have lessons every day of the school week. What joy !
For us in the countryside, we only have lessons in the morning because many of us have to walk for almost an hour to get home. This also allows us to help parents with daily chores around the house.
I have to go now, goodbye and see you next time. Veloma !
