“Not!” shouted Heena, as she walked out of the school gate.
“Never!” replied Roman.
Heena’s mother looked from the phone. “What? What’s going on?” His eyes fell on the pass-by, who’d stopped at the wall of the complex.
“Hey!” Heena calls.
“Don’t!” called in Rome.
Hearing her cry, Amalan Anna got up from her chair. Before the security guard could run away, a passer-by joined in and spat paan juice, staining the whitewashed school walls. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, the wall vandal glanced at the horrified audience and took to his heels.
Heena’s shoulders slumped. “Third time this month.”
“Disgusting,” exclaimed Heena’s mother.
“And don’t always spit, Tante,” Roml informed her, giving her a helpful look.
Heena’s mother wrinkled her nose in irritation. Romal did not exaggerate. Pedestrians and motorists have used the walls of the school compound as spittoons, wash basins, dustbins, compost piles and, on lucky occasions, as open toilets.
“Can’t school officials do anything?” asked Heena’s mother, as they walked home.
“Practice Anna does her best during school hours,” Heena replied. “But after school hours…” he trailed off with a defeated shrug.
A call to action
Returning home, Heena sipped a glass of milk. “We cannot allow people to use the compound wall as they wish,” he said.
“We have to stop this menace,” Romal agreed, picking up a chutney sandwich.
The best friends live in the same building and Romal waits for his mother to return from work. A look of determination came into Heena’s eyes. If adults can’t find a solution, so be it. “We have to do something.”
“But what’s wrong?” Roml asked with his mouth full.
His eyes lit up and, as an idea flashed into his head. “What if we make posters, banners, standees…?”
Romal clapped with joy. “Great! Tomorrow I will ask Mrs. Diya’s permission.”
During the next week, Heena, Romal and the rest of Class VB worked hard. After that, teachers, staff and Practice Anna took action. Soon, colorful banners with messages like “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” flew at the school gate, powerful standees with slogans like “Don’t let the Swachh Bharat campaign go in vain” stood proudly on the walls of the complex, and posters with the catchy taglines “Let’s keep our hearts, minds and environment clean” cover the big trash cans that the school puts on the street.
On Monday after cleaning, the students returned to school. Only to be greeted by a nasty sight. On the compound wall, there was a new red stain. Along with small piles of banana peels, plastic bags, cigarette wrappers, lighters, mineral water bottles, and miscellaneous trash.
“What if we make a signboard?” suggests Roman.
“This works!” Heena said, her face shining with hope.
Seeing how enthusiastic students are, the school is throwing weight behind the cause. Not long after, “Do not spit”, “Do not spit”, “Do not disturb” signs were placed outside the school.
The weekend after, an even bigger pile of trash awaited the students.
“No use,” Roman said sadly. “I give up.”
Heena nodded. “People will not change. Our streets will not be litter-free zones. Our joint wall will be a canvas for paan juice splashes…” he stopped mid-sentence because he had a sudden brainwave.
“What is that?” Romal asked eagerly, knowing what he was seeing.
“WOW!” said, after Heena told him what was on her mind.
new tactics
The next week, a passerby on the school road stopped in his tracks. Do not spit, litter or make any other noise. But to gape at the long snaking queue of small artists working on the walls of the compound. As elementary school students unleash their creativity and imagination on the Wall of Wonders (WoW), many onlookers gather to ooh and aah over the art. Butterflies and flowers, trees and birds, dragons and fairies, superheroes and princesses compete for the audience’s attention.
“This is amazing!” gushed the teacher, when the artist put down the brush.
“Sight for sore eyes,” Amalan Anna marveled at the mural.
“Let’s put a scannable QR code on the compound wall,” suggested Mr. Thomas, the school’s principal. “Let everyone know how talented students are.”
Cheers from Bal Vidya Elementary School students.
“Think it will work for the public?” surprised Heena.
“We have to wait until the weekend,” Romal said.
The students and employees held their breath. Only to release it in a big whoosh on Monday. The Wall of Miracles is intact. No one is stubborn paan stains, piles of garbage, and no flies hovering. Heena and Roman high-five. WoW effect is working!