An educated girl has direction, she has hope. She will become a mentor to other girls, she will CHANGE THE WORLD.
My second week of internship at Protsahan India Foundation opened new doors and issues, especially those related to the education of girls. Among the hustle and bustle of the city, and the cobwebs of our society we fail to realize what ‘the real problems’ are.
Spending these many days with the girls I was able to begin tracing the path from where they emerged as little warrior girls. From infants to adolescents, all the girls have one thing in common ‘they never quit’, they have learnt to condemn the criticism. Past 5 years Protsahan has been trying and mending lives of these little girls. Some have had a tough journey and some are still too young to absorb their surrounding restrictions.
Talking of the stories and struggles, the other day I entered Protsahan I was taking a session with the senior most girls, I saw Soni and Anju conversing in hindi and told them to try and converse properly in English, they did it very well, further I told them to be in a regular practice of speaking in English, but suddenly Soni popped up with a query “madam ji koi fayeda ni hai hmare ghar par bhai sunata hai, koi English bolne ni deta” with this statement she went back juggling with her notebook and cramming new words. I wasn’t amazed because I knew half of them come from a family trying to suppress their desires. What astounded me was the carefree way Soni came to me. This little anecdote evinces the change brought in these girls, today Soni is not scared to live up to her dreams, inspite of the unsupportive attitude of her family Soni is preparing for her 10th class from open school. She comes to me every time with new sentences framed and gets them rechecked. I say that’s the spirit, a girl who never was given a chance to step out of her canonical household can beat you when it comes to crafts, compete in academics and completely bewilder you with her dance. Yes she is a true combatant, everyday she studies in the guidance of her teacher Ms. Preeti who has been helping her strive hard, Soni has evolved as a girl transforming to a woman ‘a warrior woman’.
On taking a session with the midgets I recognized that they live in their own little world, they have their own little fact dictionary and their glittering eyes will pull you in their’ make belief world.’ When I taught them the kinder rhyme ‘twinkle twinkle little star’, some exclaimed to have seen two moons in the sky and some had caught stars falling from the sky. The rhyme was skylarks making them all sway with their hands up high. It gave me immense pleasure to see the petite cubicle lighting up with their chirping. Anjali ‘the one spruced with the coy smile’ bought me a beautiful flower and made sure I take it home with myself, these days at PROTSAHAN had been a frolicking experience and surely will continue to be one.
I brim with pride when I see them striving hard towards their goals. There are times when I see a few of them being escorted to their school by their mothers ; it is a true pride that they are supportive! Nobody has the right to hamper their education and their dreams, education and welfare for all is a mandatory aspect, despite of a hundred efforts there are many such typical orthodox families hindering their child’s education. What I loved about the way of teaching at #protsahan is that every child is being nourished under guidance of women teachers which is preferred by their families, educated free of cost, overall development from the root level, imbibing creative arts as a medium to penetrate deep in their minds Protsahan takes care of every little thing because they believe in giving childhood care when it is needed the most, it enhances their self esteem.
Education acts as a vaccine to violence
Life at Protsahan I see – Everyday a new name adds to the clan, everyday a new story comes up, everyday a new pair of glistening eyes, an innocent smile at protsahan’s doorstep knock. I have heard ‘little girls with big dreams become women with vision’. And with this I end my post waiting for every such little girl bound by prejudgments terminating their plans to be set free to dream and play.
