AROEHAN is creating public awareness about the silk industry and get government subsidies for farmers. In collaboration with the Silk Development Officer, a study tour was conducted for farmers at Pimpurna village in Dabhosa Gram Panchayat, Mokhada.
भारत हा तरुणांचा देश आहे कारण भारतात सर्वात जास्त तरुणांची संख्या आहे. सध्या भारत देश विकसाच्या मार्गावर आहे पण तरीही ग्रामीण भाग मात्र अजूनही मागेच राहिलेला दिसून येतो. याचे कारण म्हणजे ग्रामीण भागात दर्जेदार शिक्षण नाही, रोजगाराच्या संधी नाहीत, दळणवळणाचा अभाव, गरिबी त्यात कामासाठी स्थलांतर या सर्व गोष्टींमुळे ग्रामीण भागातील तरुण वर्ग चांगले शिक्षण किंवा चांगला जॉब याचा विचार न करता अर्ध्यावर शिक्षण सोडून एकतर मजुरीच्या कामावर जाणे किंवा फिल्मी गोष्टींचा प्रभाव पडून कमी वयात प्रेम करणे, पळून जाणे तसेच उनाडक्या करत फिरणे अशा गोष्टींच्या आहारी गेलेला आहे. याचा परिणाम त्यांच्या पुढील आयुष्यावर तर पडतोच पण देशाचा विचार करता देशाच्या विकासावर गंभीर परिणाम दिसून येतो.
डहाणू तालुक्यातील आगवन ग्रामपंचायत मधील शिशुपाडा येथे आरोहन माता व बाल आरोग्य आणि पोषण या विषयावर काम करत असतांना आरोहन कार्यकर्ती धनश्रीला जून महिन्यात १४ वर्षाची किशोरी गरोदर मिळाली. तिचा साथीदार सुद्धा १५ वर्षाचाच होता म्हणजे दोघेही अल्पवयीन होते, त्यामुळे त्यांच लग्न देखील झालेलं नव्हते. मुलगी आणि मुलगा दोघेही अल्पवयीन असल्यामुळे त्या मुलीला तब्बल ७ वा महिना लागलेला असूनपण तिची आरोग्य केंद्रात तसेच अंगणवाडीमध्ये गरोदरपणाची कुठेही नोंदणी झाली नव्हती याचे कारण पाहता त्या मुलामुलीवर पोलीस केस होऊ शकते म्हणून तिची कुठेही नोंदणी करून घेतली नव्हती. अशा काही घटना घडल्या असतील तर आरोग्य कर्मचाऱ्यांनी आपल्याला काही शिक्षा होईल किंवा आपल्याला याचा पुढे जाऊन त्रास होईल या भीतीने त्यांना मिळणाऱ्या आरोग्य सेवा देण्यास नकारणे कायद्याने गुन्हा आहे, कारण आरोग्याचा अधिकार हा प्रत्येक व्यक्तीला मिळालेला मुलभूत अधिकार आहे. म्हणून ती मुलगी कमी वयाची आणि अतिजोखमेची असल्यामुळे तिला आरोग्य सेवा मिळणे अत्यंत गरजेचे होते. असे असूनसुद्धा तिला कोणत्याही आरोग्य सुविधा न देता शिवाय तिची आरोग्य संस्थांमध्ये नोंदणी देखील करून घेतली नव्हती.
हे सर्व आरोहन कार्यकर्ती धनश्री हिला माहिती झाल्यावर तिने अशा वेळेस काय करता येईल याची माहिती घेण्यासाठी आरोहन प्रकल्प समन्वयक सुजाता यांच्याशी संपर्क केला तर त्यांनी सांगितले कि, दोघांच्या आईवडिलांची जर पोलीस केस करायची इच्छा नसेल तर पोलीस केस होऊ शकत नाही म्हणून धनश्रीने याविषयी माहिती घेण्याकरिता दोघांच्या घरीदेखील भेट दिली त्यातून समजले कि दोघांचे आईवडील एकमेकांना स्वीकारण्यास तयार आहेत. पण तरीही आरोहनचे कार्यकर्ते अशा अल्पवयीन मुलामुलींवर काही तक्रार होऊ शकते का? जर झाली तर अशा मुलामुलींचे करियर धोक्यात जाते म्हणून पोलीस केस होऊ नये याविषयीची माहिती घेण्याकरिता डहाणू पोलीस स्टेशनमध्ये भेट दिली. आरोहनने घटना घडली आहे असे न सांगता जर अशी घटना घडली तर त्यावर तक्रार न करता वेगळा उपाय काय असू शकतो याची माहिती घेण्याचा प्रयत्न केला पण तिथे घटना घडूच नये यासाठी काय करणे जरुरीचे आहे हे सांगण्यात आले म्हणून अपेक्षित माहिती न मिळाल्यामुळे तिथून माघारी यावे लागले पण आरोहन ला जेव्हा हि घटना माहिती झाली होती तेव्हाच
त्या मुलीची जवळच्या आरोग्य केंद्रात नोंदणी करवून घेतली होती त्यामुळे तिला गरोदर तपासणी व लोहयुक्त गोळ्या चालू करून दिल्या होत्या. यासाठी त्या मुलीला उपकेंद्र, उपकेंद्र ते प्राथमिक आरोग्य केंद्र आणि प्राथमिक आरोग्य केंद्र ते उपजिल्हा रुग्णालय येथे फिरावे लागले सोबत तिच्या आरोहन कार्यकर्तेदेखील होते.
पुढे इतर हालचाल करायच्या अगोदरच ती कमी वयाची आणि जोखमेची माता असल्यामुळे तिची ७ व्या महिन्यातच प्रसूती झाली. किमान तिची आरोग्य केंद्रात नोंदणी झाली म्हणून तिची प्रसुतीदेखील उपजिल्हा रुग्णालय डहाणू येथे झाली, पण बाळाचे वजन कमी असल्यामुळे व आरोग्याच्या पुरेशा सुविधा शासकिय रुग्णालयात उपलब्ध नसल्यामुळे त्यांना उपजिल्हा रुग्णालयातून दुसऱ्या राज्यात सेल्वास(दादरा आणि नगर हवेली) येथे पाठविण्यात आले,नाईलाजाने त्या मुलीला व तिच्या नातेवाईकांना तिकडे जाण्यास भाग पडले. परंतु त्या दोघा अल्पवयीन मुलामुलींवर कोणत्याही प्रकारची पोलीस तक्रार झाली नाही तसेच आई व बाळ दोन्ही सुखरूप आहेत. येथे आरोहन चा उद्देश हा नाही कि अशा अल्पवयीन मुलांना प्रोत्साहित करणे तर अशा घटना काही कारणात्सव घडल्या असतील तर त्या व्यक्तींना त्यांचे अधिकार मिळवून देणे हा आहे कारण आरोग्याचा अधिकार हा प्रत्येक नागरिकाला घटनेने दिलेला मुलभूत अधिकार आहे आणि तो प्रत्येकाला मिळालाच पाहिजे.
AROEHAN activist Dhanashree came across a 14-year-old pregnant girl Pallavi (name changed) during her regular maternal and child health related interventions. Situated in Shisupada in Agavan Gram Panchayat of Dahanu, Aroehan has witnessed at least 56 teenage pregnancies in the past year. Pallavi’s male partner was 15 years old and she was in her 7th month of pregnancy. It is common among tribal communities that many adolescents cohabit after engagement or stay in a live-in relationship.
Despite being an at-risk mother, Pallavi was not registered anywhere in the health centre as well as Anganwadi due to fear of legal repercussions against her. Right to healthcare is a fundamental right but the health workers refused to provide her with any service fearing legal punishment. We convinced them to get her MCP (Mother and Child Protection) Card. While the PHC still did not register her as a mother, she was referred to Manav Seva Sangh, an NGO working for orphan children and less privileged mothers. She was able to get some check-ups and necessary medications were provided.
AROEHAN activist Sujata Ayarkar, who has worked with such cases before, along with Dhanashree went to the police station to intervene with this situation. Initially, the police officer was flipping tables and getting angry over the tribal community for “encouraging” such cases. The police dismissed the case speaking of the prevention, but what when the case has already occurred? After some time we received an off-the-record tip that if the parents of both the minors agree with the cohabitation, the case would be registered under Medico Legal Case and legal repercussions could be prevented against the minors and people helping her.
Pallavi was underage, anaemic, underweight, and an at-risk mother, which meant there were high chances of premature childbirth. She gave birth at Dahanu cottage but it was necessary to transfer her to a hospital with Neonatal Intensive Care Unit facilities. She was transferred to a government hospital with adequate facilities in Silvassa, which is a union territory inside Gujarat state. Our activists were behind her and ensured no legal actions were taken against her and the mother was able to deliver in a safe environment.
As per NIH, one out of every five adolescent girls becomes a mother before turning 18 in India. While we may have progressed in some areas, there are still vulnerable areas which need to be nurtured with proper education and development interventions. In this process, if there were cases of pregnancies, it would be inhumane and unjust of us to refuse them the health services and it also goes against our fundamental rights. We do not promote teenage pregnancies but we believe in every human’s right to safe healthcare.
विज्ञान आणि तंत्रज्ञानाने गेल्या काही वर्षात अनेक प्रगती केली आहे. या तंत्रज्ञानाचा वापर जगातील प्रत्येक व्यक्ती आपल्या रोजच्या जीवनात करत आहे. विज्ञानाचा सर्वात मोठा अविष्कार म्हणजे वीज निर्मिती. माणसाने कोळशापासून पाण्यापासून, सूर्याच्या ऊर्जेपासून, वाऱ्यापासून विजेची निर्मिती करत आहे. परंतु जगातील काही भाग हा ह्या विजेचा अतिरिक्त वापर करतना दिसून येतो, तर काही लोकांनी वीज कशाला म्हणतात हे देखील पाहिले नाही.
भारतासारख्या प्रगतीशील देशात सुद्धा उच्च वर्गीय आणि शहरी भागात राहणारा माणूस आज विजेचा अतिरक्त वापर करत आहे, परंतु भारतातील ग्रामीण भागात राहणारा व्यक्ती अजूनही विजेच्या प्रतिक्षेत आहे. काही गावात विजेच्या चोरीचे प्रकार सर्रास दिसून येतात, तर काही ठिकाणी विजेचे मीटर दिले आहेत पण जोडणी न करता बिल पाठवत आहे. अशीच एक गोष्ट आहे, चांदवड गावातील काठे पाड्याच्या मधल्या गावकऱ्यांची विजेची पंचाईत!!
डहाणू तालुक्यातील चांदवड गावातील सुमारे ४० घरे आणि २०० लोकसंख्या असलेलं काठेपाडा. गावचे प्रश्न सोडवण्यासाठी आरोहन संस्थेने काठेपाडा मध्ये पाडा समिती स्थापन केली. पाडा समितीने आपण प्रत्येक महिन्यात आपली गावची सभा घेऊन गावातील समस्या एकत्रित येऊन सोडवल्या पाहिजे असे सर्वांचे मत झाले. तशीच एकदा एप्रिल (२०२३) महिन्यात पाडा समितीने गावाची सभा घेतली. त्या सभेत गावातील लोकांनी आपल्या गावातील विजेच्या प्रश्न बाबत चर्चा केली. चर्चा करताना असे समजले की, तालुक्याच्या महावितरण विभागाने १२ कुटुंबांसाठी हे विजेची जोडणी होणार होती ती जोडणी होण्यापूर्वीच ह्या कुटुंबाना विजेचे बिल येत होते. ह्या बिलांची रक्कम तर त्यांच्या आवाक्याबाहेर होती. ह्या कुटुंबात जास्त विजेची उपकरणे पण नाहीये तरी त्यांना साधारण ९०० ते ३००० रुपयेपर्यंत चे बिल आकारण्यात आले.तसेच विजेचे पोल हि गावात आणून ठेवले आणि जोडणी केली नव्हती. सभेत हा मुद्दा घेण्यात आला, आणि तो सोडवण्यासाठी पाडा समिती आणि सभेत जमलेल्या लोकांनी ग्रामपंचायत ला पत्र देण्याचे ठरवले. ग्रामपंचायत मधून सांगण्यात आले की, आम्ही आमच्या पातळीवर हा मुद्दा सोडवण्यासाठी प्रयत्न करू. एक महिना झाल्यानंतर काही तोडगा निघाला नाही, म्हणून सर्व पाडा समिती सदस्य यांनी जवळच्या MSEB कार्यालयात भेट देण्याचे ठरवले. जून महिन्याच्या १८ तारखेला आशागड च्या MSEB कार्यालयातून विजेचे मीटर देण्यात आले आणि आकडेवारी पहायाला सांगितले. तरीही आकडेवारीनुसार विजेचे बिल हे जास्त येत होते. म्हणून जून महिन्यात (२७ तारखेला) पुन्हा एकदा ग्रामपंचायत ला अर्ज देण्यात आला. ग्रामपंचायतने या अर्जासोबत कार्यालयीन कॅव्हरिंग लेटर जोडून महावितरण च्या आशागड, डहाणू आणि पालघर कार्यालयात पत्र पाठवले तसेच त्याची एक प्रत स्थानिक आमदार यांना पण देण्यात आली. प्रत्येक आठवड्याला पाडा समिती चे सदस्य आणि गावकरी आशागड च्या MSEB च्या कार्यालयात भेटी द्यायचे पण प्रत्येक वेळी बिल रीतसर येईल असे तिथले अधिकारी सांगत होते.
पाऊस आणि शेतीच्या कामामुळे तिकडे थोडे दुर्लक्ष झाले, पण तरीही पाडा समितीने पाठपुरावा करणे चालूच ठेवले. नोव्हेंबर महिन्यात पुन्हा एकदा तालुका पातळीवरील MSEBच्या कार्यालयात भेट दिली आणि तिथल्या उप कार्यकारी अभियंता यांच्याशी बोलणे झाले. बिलाच्या रकमेच्या काही प्रमाण कमी करून वीज बिल भरायाला सांगितले (उदा. एका कुटुंबाचे बिल हे २४३० इतके होते तर त्यांना १९१० रुपये इतके भरण्यास सांगितले). कुणाचीही वीज जोडणी न करता जास्त बिल आले कसे, यावर त्यांनी काही न बोलता, स्थानिक अभियंताला संपर्क करून लवकरात लवकर विजेची जोडणी करावी असे सांगितले. वरिष्ठ अधिकारी यांनी सांगितले की तांत्रिक कारणांमुळे बिल जास्त येत होते, आता दुरुस्ती करून मीटर वर येणाऱ्या आकड्यानुसार वीज बिल येईल असे समजावून सांगितले. डिसेंबर महिन्यात आरोहन चे कार्यकर्ते यांनी पुन्हा एकदा काठेपाड्यात भेट दिली, आणि ज्या कुटुंबांचे बिल जास्त येत होते, त्यांचे ह्या महिन्यातील बिल तपासले असता, मीटरच्या आकड्यानुसार बिल येत आहे. तर अश्या प्रकारे, मीटर सुरु ही झाले आणि नियमित बिल हि यायला लागले.
Nalini Mole from Brahmangaon in Ase Gram Panchayat was part of a Self Help Group. She joined the AROEHAN initiated committee Pada Samiti and got herself trained on the various roles as a pada samiti member can play. She understood the issues of water scarcity in her village, she raised her voice for availing water schemes, however there was no response. Nalini encouraged people in her village towards demanding for their basic needs and also protested at Gram Panchayat. Her efforts have bore results and Nalini has received water in her vicinity. Nalini took a step further and contested for Gram Panchayat elections. She is now part of Gram Panchayat and takes care of issues faced by the villagers in Ase Gram Panchayat.
Water scarcity is an issue in Mokhada taluka for decades. Despite the heavy rainfalls, the water does not get contained in the ground due to steep hilly terrains and the light soil. This has led to migration of families after monsoon season for income opportunities in towns and cities. An Adivasi farmer Prakash was concerned about their generational tradition of migrating as he had 8 people in his family including his mother, wife, and 6 children. Although he owned 13 acres of agricultural land, the land was becoming barren. With his family, he started growing rice, finger millet and similar paddy crops in monsoon. Just like other farmers, he had to migrate with his family for around 7-8 months to earn wages as labourers. He managed to secure further employment for his family by working in a brick kiln. While both Prakash and his wife worked at these kilns, the health and education of their children was getting neglected.
In the year 2020-21, Prakash started to participate in AROEHAN’s initiatives for village development. Prakash not only looked out for himself and his family but also motivated other people in village to participate in health, education, good administration, water, and agriculture programs organised by AROEHAN. Prakash had a penchant for enabling the tribals, who were dependent on traditional agriculture labour, to cultivate perennial crops in their own land. Prakash and other farmers got to witness the vegetable and orchard cultivation by farmers from other villages in Mokhada through the farmer study tour conducted by AROEHAN in 2021.
This served as inspiration for Prakash and 13 other farmers of Dolhara for orchard planting under the guidance of AROEHAN. A small farm pond was excavated in the field of each of these farmers pre-monsoon to solve the water issue after orchard planting. It was then covered in plastic, allowing the rainwater to collect there and irrigate the fruit trees over the following 7-8 months. The farmers were provided with orchard plants and cultivation kits by AROEHAN. Although, this was not sufficient to prevent migration all together. There was a need for a sustainable water resource throughout the year. A dam was constructed at the time near the village but since the construction was new, local’s use was prohibited. Prakash pursued to resolve this matter with the help of AROEHAN’s activists and local farmers. This matter was taken to the district level and with regular follow up, they got the permission in March 2022 to draw the water. With the help of AROEHAN, water was lifted with the help of a 7.5 HP pump by constructing a solar system of 10 KW capacity at that place under the ASHA project. Water was taken from the dam to a high hill with the help of a pipeline and water was delivered to the fields of all 15 farmers through a distribution tank.
After the water reached the farm, Prakash started cultivating different crops in his farm, including fruit trees, beans, vegetables. Prakash got Rs 30000 in just 4 months from vegetable income in the first year of cultivation. Prakash decided to build a house on the farm as he noticed the prevalence of stray animals while farming. The most expensive part of house construction was buying bricks. Prakash made 50,000 bricks in the month of December to February by building a brick kiln on the farm with the help of his family using the water that came through the pipeline on the farm. Out of these 17000 bricks were used for his own house and the remaining 33000 bricks were sold in the village, from which Prakash got an income of Rs 2,10,000. Prakash bought other necessary things for the house with the money received.
Along with other landless women in the village, Prakash’s wife established a self-help group. For this people to start a business Prakash gave half acre of land on his farm. The land was used for turmeric cultivation and mango grafting under AROEHAN’s guidance. Revenue of Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 7000 were generated from turmeric and mango grafts respectively. The group’s female members are pleased that the landless families are obtaining respectable employment in the village itself as a result of Prakash’s admirable desire to work with everyone.
AROEHAN organised an exposure visit for the adolescent girls of Mokhada to the Zilla Parishad Collector’s Officer in Palghar. Visits such as this are instrumental for the growth of tribals as it gives them a chance to connect and learn about environments that are different from their own. 27 out of 37 girls visited Palghar City for the first time. They also built a platform for themselves to voice their concerns about their communities in front of Federal Government Employees and hope to remedy the overlooked issues.
We were greeted by Extension Officer Govind Dhanga who gave brief information about different departments in the building. We visited the Education Department where the education minister and deputy education minister of the department addressed the group. They informed about initiatives like Manav Vikas Mission through which girls can get free bicycles if they don’t have transportation means to schools, free bus services, etc. The girls raised a question that there aren’t Zilla Parishad schools beyond 7th grade in their areas. That has stopped education for most of the students and also increases the risk of child marriages in their hamlets. The minister retorted that they had been given the go-ahead to open high schools in a few tribal villages and that operations would begin gradually.
We visited the Mahila Vs. Bal Kalyan office, where the Extension Officer, Anganwadi Chief, and District Programme Officer Praveen Bhusare were present. The activists and attendees voiced their concerns which has been affecting their communities. Grievances about child marriages still occurring, Amrut Aahar not being given in all Anganwadis, lack of access to government programmes, and school closures were brought to light. They requested them to personally visit isolated hamlets and review the situation. We met with Zilla Adhyaksha Prakash Krushna Nikam and COO Bhanudas Palve who originate from tribal areas. Lastly, the group mobilised at AROEHAN’s Palghar Project Office for a session by Aakruti Kendra from Boisar. The girls were explained about the importance and scope of Self-Help Groups and different kind of organic products that have emerged from tribal areas to the city.
Even though the exchange of letters has fallen out as a necessary means of communication in today’s Internet age, people in remote areas still largely rely on the postal service for receiving important documents from the government ID cards and several other crucial documents necessary to qualify for government schemes are still sent by post. However, what if these priceless documents never reach us? What if they disappear along the route? Just the thought is enough to make one’s heart skip a beat. If there is a possibility of that happening to the well-educated or urban population, its unimaginable what the tribal population will go through, a person who work as daily wager and is largely affected by it! Losing an important identity document costs these tribals at multiple levels. They pay the transportation fares to visit the government office and miss out on their wage for that particular day; the chances of them receiving their documents in a single trip are woefully low, leading to the rightful fear of losing daily wages for each subsequent visit. The process of applying for a new document is a tedious task for tribals. Due to the lower literacy level among tribal areas, they often have to search for someone literate to fill out the forms for them. This is followed by assembling the required documents, which are unavailable due to the same negligence from the postal service. At last, they have to wait restlessly for months for their documents to arrive and there is a fear of never receiving them. Chari-Kotbi in Dahanu Taluka is a village which is far from the main road. However, it has a decent route that connects it to the main road. Along the interior of this route lies a tribal settlement. Since last year, AROEHAN has been working on health and local governance in this village through public participation. At each hamlet, AROEHAN has created committees, called Pada Samiti, consisting of selected locals in an effort to solve hamlet-level problems via the Gram sabha and bring in local governance. During a training session for the Pada Samiti members, villagers made a shocking revelation that they don’t receive their letters. The postman responsible for the same drops off all the letters at a villager named Kuna and asks him to distribute them throughout the village. Some of the testimonials spoke that despite applying for Aadhar Card months ago, they have not received them yet. Not only did some important documents did not reach them but some were deemed to have been lost on the way. This not only made them feel the regret about being assumed as uneducated, but also enraged that the fundamental right of having their letters delivered to their home was being denied.
Since this problem was prolific in not just one, but in multiple hamlets of the village, all the Pada Samitis took the unanimous decision to write a letter to the post-master informing him about the same. During the late evening hours when everyone returned from their daily wage work, Pada Samiti members held a formal meeting. Since the current postman was a resident of the village and could lose his job if a formal complaint was lodged, all the Pada Samiti representatives decided to solve the issue by talking with him. This sensible decision was accepted by all with no objections. The Pada Samiti members informed the postman of their troubles and suggested him to deliver the letters directly to each recipient’s home. In the meantime, the postman, who used to work on a contract basis, left his job due to personal reasons. The very next month, a new postwoman took up this post and now the letters are finally being delivered to the recipient’s doors.
As people believed that not receiving their letters was a personal problem, they did not take any initiative to fix it, being afraid that their voices wouldn’t be heard. However, seeing it at as a community problem – suffering the same strife, they concluded that the governmental systems won’t notice them unless they come together and speak against this injustice as one. Only then could they deal with this vexing trouble by themselves. Even though this issue and the consequent change brought; may seem minuscule to some, it helped ignite the confidence among the villagers of being able to overcome their own struggles in an organized manner by coming together as one.
Indian social refomers and social leaders have time and again insisted on the importance of education in personal, social and national development. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule has underlined the necessity of education in six simple lines.
विद्येविना मती गेली
मति विना नि ती गेली
निति विना गती गेली
गति विना वित्त गेले
वित्तविना शुद्र खचले
एवढे सारे अनर््थ एका अविद्येने केले
So there is no need to reiterate how important education is. However, considering the state the education of the downtrodden has reached today, it is important to stress upon this topic.
Today we can say that the progressive and upper classes in the society have understood the importance of education. The work of a visionary like Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar also ensured that education reached the Dalit community. However, if we look at the downtrodden communities, we can observe that adivasi and nomadic communities stil have a long way to go as far as education is concerned.
The horrifying statistics on the state of education in the Katkari tribe show that only 9 percent men in the community are literate, while the percentage amid Katkari women is barely 3 percent. Why is the situation in the community this miserable? On careful consideration, we would notice that the roots of this problem lie in the economic, social, geographic situation and a pessimistic mindset. That is why, the society and the government must strive to help these communities through optimistic approach and find appropriate solutions.
When teachers, government officials or people in general talk about education among adivasis, you can often hear them complaining, “We have tried a lot for their literacy, development, but they do not cooperate with us.” Some also go a step ahead and say, “Afterall they are Adivasis! No matter what you do for them, they will stay the same… They will stay illiterate!”
The progressive people in the society often agree with them too. While many would believe this to be the truth, on introspection, we will realise that this is not the reality. It’s us who fall short of understanding this reality, or probably, we ignore it as well. Therefore we need to analyse what the ground situation is and take steps accordingly.
Why are adivasi children falling behind in education? Generally speaking, the answer lies in poverty, lack of interest in school, apathy of parents towards education, migration and so on. If we look at these reasons through a holistic approach and ask ourselves who is responsible for these issues, we will realise that it’s the hundreds of years of exploitation, injustice, atrocities and slavery imposed upon these communities. (For many, the situation still hasn’t changed much.)
Thus, education has continued to remain the last of their priorities. Their mindset does not let them believe that even they could win or have a free will. In such a situation, how are they to be blamed for their indifference towards education that has stemmed from this pessimism and poverty? It is our failure that we do not ask ourselves these questions.
They have faced exploitation for ages. Now when we ask them to ‘get’ education, their pessimism and the trauma of exploitation make it difficult for them to ‘get’ education. This might, in fact, also come across to them as a new form of exploitation. And there is nothing unnatural in it. We cannot take it for granted that the mindset formed over a period of hundreds of years would change within merely 10-15 years. For this to happen, it is necessary that we create an environment of assurance and trust for them.
Even today, adivasis and other such communities struggle to find work in villages after harvest. Thus they are left with no other option but to migrate in search of work, along with their children. They call it ‘moving for a living. The poverty that they are enduring as a result of the traditional exploitation has confined them in a vicious circle of migrating for survival and neglect of education.
Which parent would not want for their children to get education? Who would want their children live a life of struggle and labour like they did? Which parent would not want their children to prosper? There are no answers to these questions. And that is why, it is very necessary that while looking at the educational woes of adivasi children, the society and the government agency must analyse their socio-economic and geographic background, their mindset and their material situation. Once they start reaping the benefits of education, the task will become much easier. Until then, we must not lose hope.
The Right to Education proved to be a major step in the educational development of downtrodden communities. However, such schemes and laws are not implemented with the required sensitivity and passion. The reason for this is also hidden in our social inequalities. The govenment has entrusted authorised school management committees and local governance bodies with the implemantation of these schemes.
However, we are all well aware of the efficiency with which these institutions function. These institutions do not seem to be taking any efficient measures to empower these committees. They think their duty is over once they take one or two routine training sessions every year. The organisations working for the education of the marginalised communities are often obstructed by keeping them running in a loop of seeking permissions. The government agencies would not do anything new, neither would they let someone else experiment.
Until the government officials/employees and people’s representatives do not let go of their arrogance and greed, the laws/schemes for the marginalised will remain merely on paper. The funds that are allotted for the same will keep getting swallowed, but the adivasis will stay as they are. There is a need to fundamentally change the way the society and government agency looks at the educational issues of the downtrodden.
The reasons mentioned in the article earlier about why adivasis are not getting educated are also the obstacles that they face. But apart from these, the lack of social, political and administrative will to get adivasi children to the school is also a major obstacle.
Other major hindrances also include the negative approach of the primary teachers and government officials towards the education of the marginalised, apathy towards the community, the shortcomings and flaws in the implementation of various schemes, etc.
It is essential that we get rid of these obstacles in order to ensure that education truly reaches the marginalised communities. It is important to explain the importance of education and its benefits to this community and to create an atmosphere of trust and necessary facilities for the same.
At the adminstrative level, there is a need to shift the perspective of the government officials-employees so that they perform their duties with passion and honesty that emanate from a sense of social responsibility. Making learning a fun activity will help prevent children from dropping out of Zilla Parishad Schools. Teachers must be given as little non-academic work as possible. The government must seek assistance of the organisations that can help implement different schemes efficiently. Gram Panchayats must take up the responsibity to ensure that no child in their village stays out of school. Eduation should be a permanent subject of the Gram Sabha agenda.
Understanding that afterall adivasis are also an integral part of the nation and to give them education or do everthing necessary to make it available is a moral responsibility of each citizen as their development is integral to national development. When everyone starts working together with this understanding, only then will the marginalised obtain access to education.
Written by,
Pradeep Khairkar, AROEHAN.
In the quest to increase livelihood and income opportunities for farmers, AROEHAN organises trainings for farmers every month. Various initiatives like orchard farming, social forestry, pieces of training, and workshops for farmers.
This month we conducted training sessions on Agribusiness and Fish Farming. The Agribusiness sessions were held in association with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kosbad Hill at Gomghar and Koshimshet on September 16 and 20. Over 120 farmers attended these sessions on orchards and rice plantations. Facilitators Bharat Kushare and Uttam Sahane educated farmers on fertilizer methods and management, pest control, and orchard cultivation, and gave guidance on flora management, organic fertilisers, and water a primary source of income for flower farming, and multi-cropping planning. Rice plantation is
most farmers. The trainers guided them on identifying pests and diseases affecting rice yield and how to control it. Trainers gave extensive guidance on how to increase production at a lower cost and discussed effective planting technologies. Farmers were provided with information booklets and pheromone traps for pest control at the end of the session. For people interested in fish farming, a separate three-day training was held from September 21 to 23. The training was facilitated by experts from Taraporwala
Research Centre, Dr. Shardul Gangad, Pravin Sapkale and Ravindra Bondre. The trainers gave extensive guidance on methods and opportunities in fish farming. The participants were educated about different fish breeds, the usage of fish seeds, the types of fish farming and the challenges that came with it. The trainers helped them to chalk out how to get started with fish farming. From site selection to breeding and markets and sales, the attendees were given detailed guidance. The 25 participants were honoured with information booklets, pest traps, fish seeds, and certificates on the last training day. AROEHAN plans to utilise fish farming as a sustainable source of livelihood and income for marginalised and landless farmers and other less privileged populations. Local fish breeding, containing and food processing, storage, networking, and sales will be the main focus of this initiative in the near future. Upon giving the vote of thanks to Taraporwala
Research Centre, AROEHAN’s CEO Amit Narkar urged them to extend their support to fish farming as we embark on this initiative. Dr. Shardul Gandad seconded it and said they will make all the possible
efforts to help expand this initiative in the future.