Year-End Revisit | Z.P. School Shilandwadi
Reaffirming Commitment Before Seeking Support
As the year drew to a close, Lakshya Foundation returned once again to Z.P. School Shilandwadi—not to rediscover its challenges, but to reaffirm them with clarity and responsibility.
This revisit came with a clear purpose.
With preparations underway for CSR outreach to corporate partners, it was important for us to ground our proposals not just in past documentation, but in present reality. Schools like Shilandwadi do not remain static; time, weather, and human effort continue to shape them every day. To speak honestly on their behalf, we felt the need to stand there again—listen again—see again.
Returning With Familiar Faces
This time, the Lakshya Foundation team was accompanied by:
- Shirish Patil
- Hitesh Thakare
- Kaustubh Suryawanshi
- Chandrakant Kadav
Joining us was someone who understands the soul of such schools deeply—Mr. Pandurang Shirke. Having led Z.P. School Lavhali through years of challenge and transformation, his presence brought both perspective and reassurance.
The journey to Shilandwadi still demanded patience.
The silence still greeted us.
The remoteness remained unchanged.
But what felt different was familiarity.
A School That Recognizes Its Well-Wishers
As we entered the school premises, the students recognized us instantly. Their reactions were small but telling—smiles, quiet curiosity, a sense of comfort.
Teachers welcomed us not as visitors, but as people who had returned when they said they would.
We spent time inside the classroom, observing lessons, speaking with students, and revisiting the same spaces we had documented earlier. The structural challenges remained—broken elements, exposed vulnerabilities—but so did the resolve to keep learning alive.
Re-listening Before Re-presenting
The core of this visit was not inspection.
It was conversation.
We spoke again with teachers about:
- how they continue to manage daily schooling despite limited infrastructure,
- how safety concerns remain constant, especially during weather changes,
- and how the absence of basic facilities still impacts dignity—particularly for girls.
We spoke with students—not formally, but gently—about school, attendance, and what they enjoy learning. Their responses were simple, yet grounding.
We spoke with villagers who remembered our earlier visit clearly. They did not ask when work would begin. They asked whether the school would be remembered while decisions were being made elsewhere.
That distinction mattered.
Why This Revisit Was Necessary
Before approaching corporate partners, Lakshya Foundation believes in one non-negotiable step:
Returning to the ground, even when reports are already written.
This visit allowed us to:
- validate earlier assessments,
- update our understanding of daily realities,
- and ensure that proposals going out into the world reflect current truth, not dated concern.
Shilandwadi is not a hypothetical case.
It is a living school—functioning because people refuse to abandon it.
A Shared Sense of Direction
The presence of Mr. Pandurang Shirke added a quiet layer of continuity to the day. Having seen what transformation can look like when commitment is matched with resources, he understood both the urgency and the patience required here.
The conversations were not dramatic.
They were steady.
There was no announcement of timelines, no promises made lightly. But there was something clear and mutual:
This school is now firmly within Lakshya Foundation’s long-term vision.
Closing the Year With Grounded Resolve
As we prepared to leave, the school returned to its routine. Students packed their books. Teachers resumed their rhythm. The village grew quiet again.
But for Lakshya Foundation, this revisit served as an anchor.
It reminded us why CSR outreach matters—not as funding exercise, but as a bridge between intention and action.
Shilandwadi does not need to be rediscovered by the world.
It needs to be stood with, consistently and responsibly.
And as we step into the next phase of outreach and planning, this school—and the people who keep it alive—will remain at the centre of our efforts.
Because commitment, when reaffirmed, becomes credibility.
