The Lest Hope

In a small village lived a boy named Robin. He was the son of a poor farmer but dreamed of reaching the stars. By day, he worked with his father in the fields; by night, he studied under the dim light of an oil lamp. Everyone said, “This boy will go far someday.” But dreams often clash with reality.

One year, a terrible drought ruined their crops. The family struggled to survive. Robin realized his studies might come to an end because his father could no longer afford his schooling.

One day at school, the teacher announced, “Next week, there will be a district-level science competition. The best project will receive a scholarship.”

Robin's eyes lit up. He thought, “I can’t let this chance slip away.”

But what would he make? He had no fancy materials or equipment. Determined, he and a friend went to the canal side and picked up broken machine parts. Old batteries, bottle caps, rusty wires — they collected anything they could find.

At home, Robin began building a simple but creative water purification system using those discarded items. It was designed in a way that people in villages could easily use it to purify dirty water.

On the day of the competition, Robin traveled to the city. Projects from all over the district were displayed — shiny, expensive, and high-tech. Compared to them, Robin’s model looked like a toy.

Some students laughed. One of the judges walked up and asked, “How does your device work?”

Without hesitation, Robin explained his idea — how clean water could be made accessible using cheap, everyday items. The judge listened intently, surprised by the boy’s ingenuity.

At the end of the event, the results were announced.

“The first prize goes to... Robin Chakraborty!”

Everyone was stunned. Robin’s eyes filled with tears. He knew he had just given his father a reason to smile again.

Soon, his project caught the attention of a non-profit organization. They offered him a full scholarship to study at a reputed school in the city.

Years later, Robin became a renowned scientist. His water purifier is now used in many remote villages, saving thousands of lives.

Moral of the Story:

Never give up, no matter how hard life gets. When the world turns its back on you, believe in yourself and keep moving forward. Dreams may seem distant, but with determination and hard work, anything is possible.