 |
|
|
| Voices |
|
|
 Tarunissa
President, Mamta Swayam Sahayata Samooh and member, Ujala Mahila Gram Sangathan
Our children don’t learn anything in the
government school – the teachers are not interested. We
pay Rs 30 for fees and school books are so expensive. We
are poor people and can’t afford to send our children to
a school where they are not being taught. Our Gram
Sangathan is six months old. We discuss issues such as
health, education, social problems. We have decided that
though we are uneducated, our next generation will not
face the same problems. We will not eat one meal a day
but we will ensure that our children are educated. My
daughter is 15 years old. I had taken her out of school
in class 8 but now she is studying at this village
school [tuition centre]. We think with education our
village will progress. |
|
 Haibunissa
President, Kavita Sahayata Samooh and member, Ujala Mahila Gram Sangathan
My girl is five years old and she is very sharp.
She learns very fast and teaches me also. She can read
and write in Hindi and English after going to the school
started by the Gram Sabha three months ago, even though
does not go to the government school yet. She knows
‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ and her tables. From her I have
learnt that A for apple is saeb and B for ball, C for
cat. |
|
 Shatabdi
Roy
Ashman Swayam Sahayata Samooh, member and volunteer, Village
Dorahi
The English Relay class started a week ago. My
training took place some time ago. I teach the children
from two books. We already have 35 children coming for
the lesson after one week, there were less than 20 to
begin with. I teach the 4-6 age group. I have to do 60
sessions, and teach 50 children in six months in level
1. Children have progressed in just one week. They
really want to learn. We expect a lot from the children
and they from us. The parents are very happy with the
classes. |
|
 Kusum
Indira Swayam Sahyata Samooh, Adhyaksh, Village
Nrayanpur
We are poor, even after spending large amounts of
money our children would not have got a facility like
this of learning English. So we decided at the CLA and
BLA level that we would like to start this. Now our
children are learning English at a small cost, and
making a bright future for themselves The parents are
very excited, the mothers come to see their children
learn - and they also pick up words like 'good morning',
'good afternoon'. We are very happy. |
|
 Saroj
Devi
Jai Ma Durga Swayam Seva Samooh, member; Kalyani
Mahila Gram Sangathan, Adhyaksh, Village Kalyanpur
Before I joined the samooh, I knew nothing. In my
mother's home I was not allowed to step out of the
house, I remained in purdah. I used to wish that my
parents would marry me off so that I would get some
freedom. But when I got married, I was locked in the
house in my husband's house also. I used to wish that I
had been born a boy because a girl's life is really a
curse. I wanted to go to school but wasn't allowed to.
After joining the samooh, I have learnt so much -
how to talk to people, how to get things done, my
knowledge has increased. I have six children, four girls
and two boys, all under the age of 15. Before I joined
the samooh, they never went to school. But now I have
got knowledge from the samooh and insist that all of
them go to school. |
|
|
|
|
