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Learners in T3, T4 cities who does not have access to affordable quality education.
Why we Started Vridhee?
On March 31, 2021, Dipyaman and Dipanwita were driving from Kolkata to Balasore for a business meeting when they stopped for a tea break at a small stall near Kolaghat on NH-16. At the stall, an old man was preparing tea while a 13-year-old boy handled various tasks, including washing and serving. Without much thought, Dipyaman asked the boy his age, and after a slight hesitation, he revealed he was 13. Immediately, Dipyaman thought of child labor and questioned him about school. The boy explained he left school three years ago, but he was happy to work to support his family.
Dipyaman, trying to offer advice, began lecturing him about the importance of education and how without it, he'd be stuck in the tea stall forever. The boy listened intently, but then he said something that left both Dipyaman and Dipanwita speechless.
He explained that, while he didn't have time for school because he had to work, he was still learning. He dreamed of designing and building beautiful cars. Whenever he had a break, he watched car mechanics' videos on YouTube through his brother's phone, despite not fully understanding English. He was a huge fan of shows like Leepu & Pitbull and even asked Dipyaman to request Leepu to make videos in Bengali. The boy and his friends, all aspiring car designers, helped his brother, who worked at a garage, to learn more about cars in their spare time.
His final words hit hard: "If PM Modi can become the Prime Minister after working in a tea stall, why can't I design beautiful cars one day?"
That day I had learnt few very important things from that kid in Kolaghat, which are as follows:
- Quality education is a birthright for everyone, in any language they choose. Learning makes us independent and helps us become better human beings.
- Education isn't just about Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, or bookish knowledge, it can be anything that aligns with one's passions and dreams.
- Learning doesn't have a set time. If someone is truly interested, they'll always find the time to pursue it.
- If you're willing to learn, inspiration will find you, and there's an abundance of free content available to fuel your journey.
- Theory teaches the basics, but to become a professional, you need practical experience and guidance from a mentor.
- Each of us is both a teacher and a learner. Learning never stops, we learn from those around us. Similarly, when you teach, you learn even more. Knowledge grows when shared.
- It's not always easy to find like-minded people, but when you do and collaborate to keep the dream alive, learning becomes enjoyable.
The lesson we learned that day from a 13-year-old sparked the creation of 'Vridhee.' Building any solution requires extensive research, and that's exactly what we did. With 15 years of experience in the education industry, we knew the numbers would be significant, but seeing the actual figures was a completely different experience.
