As election chariots hurtle through the rural outback of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) and politicians promise a better future, 16-year-old Kavita, member of the young women’s self-help group (YWSHG) of Amara village in Chandauli district gets down to doing what she loves best—teaching. It is 3:00 p.m. and she has just returned from school. She has a glass of water, chappatis and green vegetables, and is off to meet her students. They are a ragtag bunch of 20 boys and girls who have never been to school or have just been enrolled in the nearest government school.
With the mild winter sun’s warmth on them, the children squat on a white floor mat, narrating tables, reading alphabets in English and spelling words. There is a small blackboard and children take turns to recite rhymes.
Kavita’s mother and the women’s self-help groups of Amara Gram Panchayat initiated the Safalta Swayam Sahayta Samooh for 13- to 17-year-olds to enable young girls improve their health awareness, acquire leadership qualities, life skills and financial literacy.
Kavita, however, was inspired to teach when she saw illiterate women use their thumbprint instead of a signature. She first set about teaching adult women how to write their names and later their husband’s names so that they could fill up various essential forms—for rations, MGNREGA, and old age and disability pensions. Now she teaches children. After studying with her for a few months, many children return to school but invariably go back to Kavita if they need help with their lessons.
Role model
Kavita, who goes to a private school in Chakiya, will be appearing for the Class X board exams this year. In Class IX, she scored 556 marks out of 600. Having found joy in teaching and recognition in the village, she is quite determined to be a teacher.
Despite her busy schedule, she helps her mother with domestic chores and leaves her own studies for later at night. Inspired by Kavita and empowered by the SHGs, women in her village who could not complete their studies because of early marriage are now finishing school. Two of them have already reached the intermediate and degree stage.
Most YWSHGs encourage women to save ₹10 to ₹20 every month for financial independence. But while the 10 members of the Amara YWSHG are too poor to make a monthly contribution to the SHG, they do get the other benefits, like visits to camps organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana to learn self-defence, life skills and career options. Kavita has attended two week-long camps at Varanasi.
While Kavita’s forte is teaching, Sapana, a 17-year-old member of the Ujjawal YWSHG in Ramapur village in Mirzapur, is raising her voice against child marriage. Youngsters meet regularly and discuss their problems. When a member pointed out that her parents were forcing her to marry, Sapana led a delegation to the parents and convinced them to postpone the marriage till the girl had completed school. By delaying marriage, girls in villages like Ramapur and Amara are able to complete schooling, which opens new doors for them.
Since the country’s hinterland is notorious for sexual harassment, Anasuya, a member of the Prachi Yuva SHG, opted for training in self-defence. “The fear within me has gone, I have inner strength and am confident I can look after myself,” she says. Anasuya can now teach self-defence. Meanwhile Sumitra, a member of the Durga YWSHG of Manapur village, Varanasi, has been able to take a loan and get back the family land held in mortgage with a moneylender.
The 7,713 youth self-help groups across U.P. have become important stepping stones for young people, empowering and encouraging them.
The veteran journalist writes extensively on development issues.
