Don't tell me about walking ten miles to school in the snow uphill both ways

Until you've read this:

A South African village is demanding that a bridge be built across a crocodile-infested river to stop children swimming it to get to school.

Students as young as seven have been making the crossing for two months since the community's boat was stolen.

"There are about 70 households on that side of the river but there are no buses and no-one owns a car," a Kwazulu-Natal local councillor said.

To cross safely would require a 20km (12 miles) detour to get to the school.

On school days, 150 children from Sahlumbe village in the heart of rural Zululand swim across the river in their underwear using rubber tyres and buckets to keep afloat and to keep their school uniforms and books dry.

The older ones help the small ones who cling to the tyres.

"I worry all the time. There are dangerous animals in there, especially crocodiles," says Thuthukani Primary School headmistress Hlengiwe Mthembu.

The children, some of whom also attend Mabizela High School, often arrive tired and unable to concentrate, she says.

"They sit in class and shiver because of the cold and they can't study well because they are worrying about how they are going to get home.

"It is very hard for them. After heavy rains the river gets very full. It can take up to 10 minutes to cross."

[snip]

Mr Nbatha says even the stolen boat was not safe and he wants a bridge built in the area.

"It was old and full of holes. There was only one boat and it was used by the whole community."

He says he has pleaded with the department of transport for five years.

"They just keep us waiting," he says.

"It's very frustrating. You can see the school from the opposite bank but you just can't reach it."

Some people know what education can do for the community, the family, each individual.

Ndwalane/The Mercury

And then we have people here in the US attempting to undo the very underpinings of education and science. Amazing.

Update 4/3: In comments, SanityFound linked to this pdf news alert:

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison,
Mr. Bheki Cele will tomorrow (26/03/08) at Sahlumbe area, Weenen,
near Estcourt, at 09.00am officiate the sod-turning of a river bridge
that will be constructed over Tugela River near Thuthukani Primary
School.
The sod-turning is subsequent to the community outcry beefed up by
media reports that scholars from Thuthukani Primary School and
other local schools cross the river using inflated tyre tubes when
going to school. The bridge is set to serve as an access route for
scholars from the Sahlumbe High School and to the Sahlumbe clinic
and about 70 families residing on the south of the river will benefit
from the bridge.
Reports have indicated that learners also use buckets to keep their
school uniforms and books dry when crossing the river and that
annually four to five children drown as a result of a swollen river. The
bridge will also provide access to public transport to those
communities residing on the north of the river.

Annually four to five children drown as a result of a swollen river.... Jesus.

May this bridge bring education and light to the children, their families and the villages.