Help me give these children what I once longed for!

Every morning when I sit before my small group of students, watching them scribble letters on their notebooks, I am reminded of the life I once dreamed of, a life where education was not a privilege but a right. 

My name is Gulshan Lahor, and I was born without hands. For many, that might have meant the end of a dream before it even began. But for me, it was just the beginning of a story I wanted to rewrite, for myself, and for every child who believes they are “less” because of their circumstances.

Growing up was never easy. People looked at me with pity, some with disbelief, some even with mockery. I still remember how, as a child, I’d sit in one corner, watching others write, wishing I could too. 

But my family, especially my parents, never gave up on me. They taught me that my disability was not my identity. They believed in me even when the world didn’t. With time, I learned to write using my legs. It took years of practice, endless frustration, and countless failures, but I never stopped trying.

Today, I teach children who remind me of that little boy I once was, full of hope but surrounded by hardship. Most of my students come from extremely poor families. Their parents are daily wage earners who can barely afford two meals a day, let alone school fees. So, I teach them for free. Under the open sky, with torn notebooks, and the will to learn.

When the sun burns too hot, I watch them wipe sweat from their faces but refuse to stop reading. When it rains, we gather under a small tarpaulin or sometimes continue our lessons in the mud because they don’t want to miss a single word. Their dedication breaks my heart and strengthens it at the same time.

That is why I dream of building them a small classroom, a safe place where these children can study without worrying about the heat or rain. A place where dreams can grow without being washed away.

But I cannot do this alone. I need help.

I am not ashamed to ask for it because I know what education can do. It changed my life, and I want it to change theirs too. Every rupee that comes in will go toward building a roof over their future, a roof that will shield them from the weather, but more importantly, from hopelessness.

People often call me “inspiring.” But the truth is, it’s these children who inspire me. When I see their eyes light up as they learn a new word or solve a math problem, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.

I may not have hands, but I have faith. Faith in education, faith in kindness, and faith that together, we can build not just a classroom, but a future.

Help me give these children what I once longed for, a chance to learn, to dream, and to rise.