A village in the province of Granada is once more filled with laughter. It is not so long ago that the village of Lújar didn’t have any children and the old La Venta de Lújar primary school remained closed.

Now, with the help of two in-law sisters, the space is alive again as a toy collection.

Estefanía Sánchez and Marta Bonilla both studied Early Childhood Education and around one year ago they made the decision to return to their village and start the initiative. After studying for years in Adra, Motril and both, the girls chose to return to the village where they grew up. “We both wanted to make our lives here and stay and live in Lújar,” they explain.

They came up with the idea of starting a business in Lújar which would also allow them to work in the area in which they had studied: working with children. The town hall agreed to let them use the old school. With pride and a lot of laughter, they tell you that “we refurbished it completely ourselves”. They painted the walls, laid the flooring and added colour to the classrooms.

The toy library, which opened its doors on June 20, 2025, has become a place of meeting for children from Lugo as well as those from surrounding villages, such Los Carlos or Castell de Ferro. “The children go to school in the morning but there is nothing after that. They can do their homework here, play or celebrate their birthday. “We wanted to give them a place where they could learn and have fun, without having travel into town,” say the founders.

Families had to travel from their home to Motril to access a similar service. Now, at ‘La Galaxia Creativa’ in Lújar, it is much easier for parents in the local area. Marta and Estafanía say that the most popular service is birthday parties. The entrepreneurs will take care of everything, including the snacks and crafts. “They just have to come and enjoy themselves”, says Estefanía.

Working hours can be complicated in rural areas where many parents work on farms or in agricultural cooperatives. The in-laws have started a business to help families stay in their village. They plan to transform the toy library in September into a preschool for children aged up to three.

For the moment, afternoons are filled with fun and creativity. The activities can be adapted for each age range and to children who have special educational needs. They say, “We want to make sure everyone feels included and has a place.” They succeed in their goal: Families have made Fridays a regular date, and sign up for the workshops regardless of what the theme is. The important thing is to have fun, and to learn.

In 2025, the first summer school was held, featuring games, crafts, and T-shirt printing. The parents and children were thrilled. “They tell us they have finally found a place where they can leave their children, and they trust that they will be well taken care of”, says Marta.

In a village, it is difficult to start a new business. The infrastructure is less developed and the population is smaller than in a city or town. What is lacking is support. They have seen it for themselves. Locals will often stop by to check on the progress, offer a helping hand, or to simply say hello. “Many of these people studied here back when it was an old school. “They are excited to see it coming back to live”.

There are only 400 residents in the village. There are only two bars and no shops. Until recently, there were also no children. It’s changing. “More and more young people are deciding to stay,” says the mayor, José Antonio González, who adds that three years ago there were no children in the village and today there are six. “It might not seem like a lot, but it’s a lot for a small village like this,” says the Mayor.

It is his dream to reopen an old school someday: “It will be a joy to see this building full of kids again. Thanks to initiatives like the Toy Library, we might not be too far from achieving that.”

Difficult access to housing, the high cost of living and the desire to raise children in a natural environment are the most common reasons why people are slowly returning to villages and Lújar is an example that rural life does not have to be synonymous with abandonment. Marta and Estefanía will continue to give shape to their dream amidst laughter and glitter. “We show that entrepreneurship is possible in a small village”.

The streets of this village are now alive with life after years of no children.