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In a storytelling workshop, we were tasked with developing a story that had a strong beginning, well-defined characters, a clear conflict, a compelling climax, and a resolution. My fellow participant, Usama Javed and I decided to localize the story, crafting a narrative that resonated with our surroundings and experiences.It is inspired from a true incident in a village.

In the quiet village of Okara, nestled among vast fields, lived a hardworking peasant family. The father, a middle-class farmer, had two sons and a daughter. Life in the village was simple and untouched by modern advancements. While electricity had started illuminating cities, the rural areas remained in the dark, relying on wood fires for cooking and oil lamps for light.

The village had a few government-installed tube wells, but farming was still labor-intensive. In the 1980s, the government of Pakistan decided to extend electricity to the villages, a move that promised progress but also sparked fear among the villagers.

When the first electric lines were installed, tragedy struck. A villager unknowingly touched a live wire and was electrocuted. Fear gripped the community, and soon after, another accident reinforced their dread. The villagers, led by their influential lambardar, decided to reject electricity altogether, fearing it was more of a curse than a blessing. The decision seemed final.

However, the farmer’s children saw a different reality. At school, they noticed that students from electrified villages had better academic performance. They could study under electric bulbs, while the children of Okara struggled with dim candlelight. Their neighboring villages had started using electric tube wells, increasing their agricultural yield, whereas their own village remained stagnant.

Frustrated by the widening gap, the children decided to take action. One day, they visited a nearby town to see the transformation firsthand. What they witnessed amazed them—houses glowing at night, fans providing relief from the heat, and farmers irrigating their lands effortlessly. They returned home, determined to bring change.

The children first tried to convince their father. He, too, secretly recognized the benefits of electricity but hesitated, bound by the village’s collective decision. Understanding the resistance, their mother advised them to take their plea to the lambardar himself.

With newfound determination, the children gathered their friends and went door-to-door, explaining the advantages of electricity. Some villagers agreed, but many still resisted. Realizing that the lambardar held the key to change, they chose a leader among themselves and approached him with a well-thought-out argument.

“Electricity is indeed dangerous,” they acknowledged, “but its benefits outweigh its risks. Instead of rejecting it, we must learn how to use it safely. The government can provide awareness programs to educate everyone on safety measures.”

The lambardar, impressed by their reasoning, finally relented. He called a village meeting and endorsed the installation of electricity. Slowly but surely, the villagers accepted the change. Initially reluctant, they gradually adapted, learning to navigate this new technology. As time passed, the village transformed—children excelled in their studies, farming became more efficient, and life became easier

What started as a movement by a few determined children turned into a revolution for the entire village. Their courage and persistence proved that even the smallest voices could ignite change. With a single spark of determination, they brought light—not just to their homes, but to their future.