Hyderabad: How a viral photo of a hungry girl got her school admission

A photo of a girl in Hyderabad peeping inside a classroom while standing outside with an empty bowl went viral on social media and has resulted in getting admission in the same school. The picture of a young girl can be seen waiting outside a government school in the hope of getting some leftover food from lunch that has shaken up netizens online. The move of one person has resulted in the girl getting an admission in the school who will get a mid-day meal every day. The original picture was published in a Telugu newspaper with the title ‘Aakali Choopu‘meaning a hungry look which was clicked at the Deval Jham Singh Government High School in Gudimalkapur. 

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Girl's name identified as Divya

The name of the girl has been identified as Divya who was not an enrolled student of the school but visited it daily in the hope of getting leftovers from the food distributed in the mid-day meal. Divya has been revealed as the daughter of a garbage collector and sweeper who resides in the nearby slum and visited the school frequently for food after her parents went out for work.
The photo caught the attention of Venkat Reddy, the National Convener at MV Foundation, an NGO that works for the right of the girl child. He posted the picture of the girl in the newspaper where he opined it was a shame that the girl is unable to exercise her basic right to education and food. Reddy immediately informed his organization and other volunteers in the area to make sure that Divya was granted admission to the same school.

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Reddy shared the clip on Facebook

Reddy then shared a photo of Divya and her parents on attending the first day of her school in which the girl can be seen wearing a new school uniform. He wrote on Facebook that, "Divya exercised her constitutional right to be in school. Today our team and other community members admitted her in the same school where she was waiting for the lunch bell to eat her food..... Congratulations team. Congratulations Divya."

In a follow-up post, Reddy shared another post of the girl and said the girl was finally elated to get admission in the school and will definitely enjoy the meal. Reddy also paid a visit to her home and highlighted the poor living conditions and problems faced by the residents in the area.

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