No, they don’t train for “I’m a Celebrity”…they just go to school
- Children walk a tightrope 30 feet above a flowing river to get to school
- A bridge was destroyed by heavy rain more than two years ago
- Students then have to walk another seven miles through the forest to get there
If you thought taking the kids to school was a chore, think of the parents of these kids who have to walk a tightrope 30 feet above a flowing river to get to their class on time.
These determined Sumtra School students then walk another seven miles through dense forest to their school in the city of Padang.
Instead of playing truant every day, 20 strong-willed students from the village of Batu Busuk on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, have had to cross the local river like daredevils since the suspension bridge collapsed in heavy rain more than two years ago.
Daredevil Route: Children use high ropes to cross the river 30 feet below to get to school in Padang, Indonesia
Heavy Rains: During the rainy season, some children choose not to make the crossing for fear of falling into the river below
Local photographer Igoy Fitra Yogi, 31, described how the brave children faced injury and possible death from drowning so they could attend school.
He said: “These children have to fight to follow the steel wire across the river to get to school.
“They maintain their balance by walking slowly on the wire while swinging their arms.
Once the children have crossed the river, they have to walk seven miles to reach their school
School Days: These students start the day with a different type of test just to try and get to school in Sumatra
Tightrope: A young boy is determined to get to school on time while balancing 30 feet above the flowing river
Risky route: The children risk a 30-foot fall every morning before school in Pandang when they cross the river
“The river is very fast, some children are afraid of falling in and their uniforms get wet when crossing the river.
“During the rainy season, many children choose not to go to school for fear of being carried away.
“Sometimes a lot of parents accompany their kids over the fence to make sure they get across safely.”
People are forced to cross the river this way as there is no road connection to the village.
Indonesia is hit by natural disasters every year. Flash floods hit western Sumatra in July, killing eight and leaving more than 250 homeless. Among the worst affected areas were Batu Busuk and Padang.
In September, after hours of rain, Padang suffered flooding that killed four and left dozens homeless.
The children were forced into a balancing act after heavy rains destroyed a local bridge
Fear: Three schoolgirls wait to cross the river on the tightrope after heavy rains destroyed the bridge more than two years ago
In Shallow Water: These two schoolgirls help each other in the shallow water on their way to school
The School Run: A man carries his daughter through the water to take her to school because there is no road access to the village
Getting to the other side: A schoolgirl wades through the flowing river on her way to school from the village of Batu Busuk
