A Bike for School: When Service Learning Unites Naples and India

“No one is too small, too poor, too “special” or in difficulty to not be able to do something for others .”

This quote from Maria Nieves Tapia is the inspiration behind the educational journey of a primary school in the province of Naples, one that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, connecting an Italian school with girls in rural areas of South India.

For the I Circolo Didattico “Mena Morlando” of Giugliano (NA), Interlife's “A bike for school” project has become the natural conclusion of four years of experimentation with Service Learning (solidarity learning) , a methodology that combines learning, responsibility and concrete action.

Learning by doing, together

Service Learning isn't volunteering, it's a way to learn by doing useful things for others.

It is a structured program in which students learn by starting from real problems, using academic skills to analyze them, understand them, and act consciously.

Over time, this approach has led classes to work on diverse topics: promoting reading, health, scientific research, and the right to food. Each project was approached through study, planning, action, and shared reflection, transforming the school into a true laboratory of active citizenship.

When the right to education becomes a concrete demand

This year, attention has shifted beyond national borders.

The initial problem was clear: in many rural areas of India, girls are unable to attend school because they live too far away . Distance becomes a daily obstacle, often interrupting their education too early.

The answer we found was simple and powerful: a bicycle .

A bike that shortens distances, makes travel safer, and gives back time to studying.

A bike that becomes a tool for accessing education.

After studying the project on the Interlife website, the fifth-grade classes decided to make it their own. Soon, all eight fifth-grade classes from both schools joined in, making "A Bike for School" a shared project for the entire school community.

Schools as a space for action and awareness

The fundraiser was conceived as a year-round initiative, building on the talents and skills of each class.

Open Days, theater performances, musicals, art exhibitions, singing performances, and sports activities: each initiative is grassroots and an integral part of the educational program.

One of the theatrical performances, dedicated to the 2,500th anniversary of Naples, intertwined past and present, demonstrating how the challenges faced by Indian girls today were, until recently, also our own. Through iconic female figures such as Matilde Serao, Giulia Civita Franceschi, and Sophia Loren, the theme of gender equality entered the stage, becoming a shared narrative, voice, and reflection.

Agenda 2030 and active citizenship

The project fits fully into the work on the Goals of the 2030 Agenda , with particular attention to Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

In a complex territory, focusing on new generations means building awareness, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility.

Studying the plight of girls in India has led students to confront complex issues such as the right to education and gender inequality, connecting them to the rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A bike that sets relationships in motion

By the end of the school year, the school will send Interlife a one-time donation, the fruit of months of work, study, and collective commitment.

But the value of this journey goes beyond the financial result: it concerns the way the school has connected with the world, choosing to act.

"A Bike for School" thus becomes much more than a fundraiser: it is a complete educational experience, which puts into motion skills, empathy, and responsibility.

Interlife is proud to walk—and pedal—with schools that believe in a supportive education capable of generating real change, starting in the classroom and reaching far and wide, because a better future is born from the dreams, choices, and courage of new generations.