AROEHAN organised an exposure visit for the adolescent girls of Mokhada to the Zilla Parishad CollectorтАЩs 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 donтАЩt have transportation means to schools, free bus services, etc. The girls raised a question that there arenтАЩt 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 AROEHANтАЩs 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 todayтАЩs 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 oneтАЩs 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.┬а 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.┬а 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 donтАЩt receive their letters.┬а 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.┬а 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 recipientтАЩs 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 recipientтАЩs 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 wouldnтАЩt be heard. However, seeing it at as a community problem тАУ suffering the same strife, they concluded that the governmental systems wonтАЩt 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.
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.
Why are Adivasis lagging behind in education?
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.
General understanding
When teachers, government officials or people in general talk about education among adivasis, you can often hear them complaining, тАЬWe have tried a lot for their literacy, development, but they do not cooperate with us.тАЭ Some also go a step ahead and say, тАЬAfterall they are Adivasis! No matter what you do for them, they will stay the sameтАж They will stay illiterate!тАЭ 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. ItтАЩs 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 Adivasis not getting educated?
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 itтАЩs the hundreds of years of exploitation, injustice, atrocities and slavery imposed upon these communities. (For many, the situation still hasnтАЩt 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 тАШgetтАЩ education, their pessimism and the trauma of exploitation make it difficult for them to тАШgetтАЩ 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 тАШmoving 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.
Shortcomings of schemes and their implementation
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 peopleтАЩs 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 obstacles in education
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.
Solutions
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.
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, AROEHANтАЩs 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.
Working with Aroehan has been an eye opener for me. Actually, it delivers shocks when I witness the activities.
Aroehan is an NGO. In 2005-06, 169 children below the age of six died in Mokhada due to malnutrition. That led to formation of AROEHAN. It is striving to bring sustainable changes to the tribal communities. I got associated with Aroehan over the last two years.
With Madhuri, Ganesh (who work for Aroehan) and Sulabha, my wife, I went to Kurlod. It is a village consisting of many тАШpada’ or hamlets. Our vehicle took us to Pethecha Pada. Madhuri said that we had to walk to Shedyacha Pada where she had arranged meetings with the villagers. (More about our discussion with the villagers in another blog).
Shedyacha Pada is about two Kms away from Pethecha Pada, but you must cross a river. Pinjal River.
Presently the river does not have much water so one can cross it easily, jumping over the rocks. Then you climb up a tiny hill to Jambhul Vadi. Shedyacha Pada is a little further away. In the monsoon, both these hamlets get cut off completely from Pethecha Pada, putting the villagers’ life at risk in many ways.
We finished our meetings with people at Shedyacha Pada. Sarita and Meenakshi from Aroehan had arranged all meetings. We were walking back to cross the river when two persons approached us at Jambhul Vadi. They had some discussion with Madhuri and Sarita. They looked worried.
┬аMadhuri and Sarita in discussion with Patient’s relatives
┬а
“A person is very sick. He must be taken to Hospital immediately. They were asking if he can be taken in our vehicle.”
“What did you say?”
“Yes, I said. If somebody is critically ill, there is no choice.”
“How will they cross the river? Can the patient walk?”
“They will carry him in a hammock. They do it тАУ I mean they have to do it often. Sad. There is no way out!”
We crossed the river. And walked a few steps when Madhuri looked back and said “Look, they are already on the way.”
I turned back. They were crossing the river. It had taken me good time to cross it, balancing my way on the rocks. They crossed it as if it was as smooth as a runway! They walked incredibly fast with a fifty-kilo patient cuddled in their hammock! And barefoot!!
┬аCarrying Patient in a Hammock across Pinjal River
I reached for my mobile and shot the video.
“Where will they go?” I asked Madhuri.
“There is a hospital about twenty Kms away. Our vehicle will take him there and then it will return to pick us up.”
“What happens when the river is in spate during the monsoon?”
“HE decides if the patient must survive or die. No help is available.” She pointed finger to the sky.
“A PHC (Primary Health Centre) unit is sanctioned for us. Since 2014. But it has not come up.” A villager said.
“It will come up soon. We must not lose hope,” another said.
“Till then this river will decide the life and death issues” the villager said.
I was feeling relieved that our vehicle was available for the patient. That it was available was just a coincidence.
We walked our way to the Pada. No word uttered. Feeling helpless. And powerless.
