13/08/2025
When Color Sparked Change: An Anecdote from Shree Saraswati Secondary School, Soyang, Ilam
A month ago, we launched a library project at Shree Saraswati Basic School in Soyang, Ilam. Along with setting up a library and e-library, our team renovated the space: painting the walls, creating a vibrant mural, and engaging students in a series of art-based activities. The energy was incredible. The students watched every step of the process with curiosity and excitement, eager to be part of the change.
But what happened next truly moved us.
Inspired by the transformation of the library, the Grade 10 students decided to take things into their own hands. They wanted their classroom to feel just as alive, just as full of color, creativity, and possibility, hence decided their own classroom deserved the same life and warmth. Using the leftover paint from the project, they stayed up through the night and repainted their own room.
When we returned a month later for a follow-up training, we were amazed by what we saw. Their classroom had been completely transformed, filled with colors, art, and life, just like the library. It wasn’t just a painted wall; it was a statement. A reflection of their enthusiasm, ownership, and desire to create something meaningful in their learning environment.
This is the real magic of education projects: when students are not just participants, but leaders of transformation. When art becomes a tool for ownership, and change is driven from within.
“Change doesn’t always begin with something big, it can start with a small act, a spark of inspiration, and the will to make it happen.”
Library Project supported by: Books for Change
