The journey of Popa Asha Hoffnung Anandamayi Primary School began with a dream of spreading the light of education to remote hills. On 27 February 2025, this dream commenced its path with the hoisting of the national flag and the ringing of the first school bell at the peak of Sinai Mountain.

Popa Badla Para is located about 40 kilometres away from the Lama Upazila headquarters in Bandarban. It cannot be reached directly; one has to travel part of the way by road from Lama. After that, it takes about two hours to reach the village by negotiating Thakurjhiri and dense, jungle-covered remote hills. Facilities such as electricity, safe drinking water, mobile network, and hospitals are virtually non-existent there. Until recently, there was no school within at least 20 kilometres of the area.

After 54 years of independence, the residents here have received a primary school for the very first time. There is also a special story behind the naming of the school. “Popa” is the name of the local mouza. The trust whose funding established the school is named Asha Hoffnung. In the German language, “Hoffnung” means hope. Thus, the name seamlessly blends the place, the dream, and expectations for the future.

Behind the establishment of this school stands a visionary young man named Uthoiyoy Marma. By profession, he is a school teacher. Beyond this institution, he has played a pivotal role in founding three other primary schools in the remote hills of Bandarban. The school is currently managed with the support of the local villagers. Classes are currently conducted from pre-primary to fourth grade, catering to 44 students with 3 teachers.

In the beginning, the school lacked chairs, tables, and benches. The young children attended classes sitting on tarpaulins spread across the bare ground. Today, learning opportunities for even more children have been created at the school. Marking one year since its inception, the Asha Hoffnung Bangladesh Foundation initiated the installation of benches, completed the building’s flooring, and freshly painted the entire school. Additionally, an electrical connection was established with the cooperation of the Azimur Rokeya Foundation. Recently, these precious children attended classes seated on new benches under electric lights and the gentle breeze of fans.

However, many children from other villages within the school’s catchment area remain outside the scope of education. To encourage these children towards school and create a better, more education-friendly environment in the remote hills, a get-together event was organised on 14 August. Representatives from various villages within the school’s catchment area attended the event, alongside Syed Shakil, Chairman of the Asha Hoffnung Foundation, and numerous education enthusiasts.

The dream that began around a tiny schoolhouse in a remote corner of the hills is expanding with time. Centred around this single school, new possibilities are emerging for the children’s education, dreams, and future.