- Children swing on a tightrope 30 feet over a river to get to school.
- A bridge was destroyed more than two years ago by heavy rains
- Students then must walk seven more miles through the forest to get there.
If you thought getting kids to school was a chore, think about the parents of these kids who have to balance on a tightrope 30 feet above a flowing river to get to class on time.
These determined Sumtra school students walk seven more miles through a dense forest to their school in the city of Padang.
Instead of skipping class every day, 20 strong-willed students from the village of Batu Busuk on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, have to cross the local river like daredevils since the suspension bridge collapsed under heavy rain more ago. of two years.
Reckless route: Children use high cables to cross the river, 30 feet below, to reach school in Padang, Indonesia
Heavy rains: During the rainy season, some children decide not to cross for fear of falling into the river flowing below.
Local photographer Igoy Fitra Yogi, 31, described how the brave children faced injuries and possible death from drowning to make it to school.
He said: ‘These children have to fight to follow steel wires across the river to get to school.
‘They maintain their balance by walking slowly on the wire, while swinging their arms.
Once they cross the river, the children have to walk seven miles to get to their school.
School Days: These students start the day with a different kind of test as they try to get to school in Sumatra.
Tightrope: A boy is determined to get to school on time while balancing 30 feet above the moving river.
Risky route: Children risk a 30-foot fall while crossing the river each morning before going to school in Pandang.
‘The river is very fast, some children are afraid of falling and their uniforms get wet when crossing the river.
‘When the rainy season arrives, many children decide not to go to school for fear of being swept away.
“Sometimes, many parents accompany their children across the cable, to be sure that they will pass safely.”
People are forced to cross the river this way due to the lack of road access to the town.
Indonesia is affected by natural disasters every year. In July, flash floods hit western Sumatra, killing eight people and leaving more than 250 homeless. The most affected areas were Batu Busuk and Padang.
In September, Padang suffered flooding after hours of heavy rain, killing four people and leaving dozens homeless.
Children have been forced to perform balancing acts after heavy rain destroyed a local bridge.
Concern: Three schoolgirls wait to cross the river on a tightrope after heavy rain destroyed the bridge more than two years ago.
In the shoals: These two schoolgirls help each other in the river shoals on the way to school
The school run: a man carries his daughter across water to take her to school because there is no road access to the town
To get to the other side: A schoolgirl walks along the river as she heads to school from the village of Batu Busuk.
