Jabrauli village fifteen kilometer from Lucknow the capital of Uttar Pradesh finally had its moment of fame with Bill Clinton. Dressed in a T-shirt, the US ex-president reached the village on a hot and humid day. But his charisma attracted hundreds of villagers including women and students. For many villagers, meeting the former US president was a dream come true. The sleepy hamlet of Jabrauli woke to a buzz of a high profile activity as Former President Bill Clinton came to witness for himself the activities carried out by the Clinton Foundation at the Purv Madhyamik Vidyalya at Jabrauli on Thursday evening.

The Clinton Foundation had arranged six groups of women and children to interact with the former US president, who had been tutored what to say. A group of foundation workers, including its media wing, had arrived early in the morning and watched the local volunteers’ mock presentation.

Clinton interacted with the students. When a student asked: “Do you have such schools in your country too?” Clinton answered, “Yes, we have many schools. I hope that you may come and see them one day.” Another boy asked, “Did you like our village?” Clinton laughed and said, “Yes, I loved it.” He asked the kids whether they would teach others the things they had learned in school and they chorused in the affirmative.

He said he was happy to see that small self-help groups had brought about a change in the lifestyle of women in rural India, and added that his foundation would continue to work for women’s empowerment because there was still a wide gap between the status of western women and their counterparts in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“Give our best wishes to Hillary. Tell her that Indian women want her to become the next US president. It would be the victory of womanhood,” 17-year old Deeksha Varma told Clinton. He smiled and promised to convey her sentiments to Hillary. Prabha Tripathi said she would love to meet Hillary and asked when Hillary would visit her village. Clinton said she would come soon.

The state government accorded a warm welcome to Clinton. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav received Clinton at the airport.