Tanha couldn’t walk to school, now she found a place where she belonged

For years, Tanha’s world was mostly the four walls of her home. Born with a physical disability that prevents her from walking, she rarely had the chance to play with other children, join a classroom or experience the simple joys of childhood. Poverty and social stigma made those barriers even harder to cross.

Then she found a place where she did not have to be able to walk to belong.

Every morning in Tahirpur Sadar Union, the Learning Roots (LR) Centre fills with children’s laughter, songs, stories and curious questions. Supported technically by World Vision Bangladesh’s Tahirpur Area Development Programme, the centre brings early childhood learning closer to children in vulnerable communities.

Learning Roots is World Vision’s play-based early childhood development model for children aged 3–6, supporting holistic development and school readiness. In FY26, 39,144 children accessed early education through 1,723 centres in Bangladesh. World Vision Bangladesh supports these centres through facilitator training, inclusive teaching guidance and child-friendly learning environments.

Here, learning happens through play, drawing, storytelling, rhymes and group activities. But for Tanha, the most important lesson was something no textbook could teach: she belonged. When she first came to the centre, Tanha mostly watched from the side. She quietly observed other children playing and learning together. The teachers never rushed her. With patience and encouragement, she gradually began joining the activities. First came the games. Then drawing. Then storytelling and rhymes. Soon, the little girl who once spent most of her days at home was eagerly waiting for morning so she could return to the centre.

Her mother noticed the change.

“Before, Tanha would stay quietly at home. She hardly had anyone to play or learn with. Now she waits for the morning because she knows she is going to the centre. When she comes home, she tells me stories and recites rhymes. I can see how happy she is.”

The change also transformed how her mother saw her daughter’s future. “We used to think that because she cannot walk, there were many things she could not do. Now I understand that she can learn, make friends and participate like other children. She only needs the opportunity.”

That opportunity is at the heart of inclusive education. At the Learning Roots Centre, children with and without disabilities learn together. Boys and girls share the same space, discover new skills and build friendships laying the foundations for learning, confidence and participation.

For Tanha, this little centre has opened a much bigger world. A world where disability does not define possibility, and every child has the opportunity to learn, belong and dream.

Story By Lipy Mary Rodrigues
Communication Specialist – Impact Storytelling, World Vision Bangladesh