Induba Jadeja, a 14 year-old girl of Garamadi village never had an opportunity to attend school. She is the eldest among three children of a poor Darbar family who eke out a living by laundering clothes in the neigbhourhood.
Belonging to a conservative family, it was not considered necessary for her to study and even more so as a girl. Subsequently, she did not even have an opportunity to learn to read and write. The Adolescent Girl Learning Centre (AGLC) programme of a NGO in her village was God-sent and provided a free access for Induba to study.
On the day of registration she said, ‘I always dreamt of going to school! And lo! It happened absolutely at my doorstep - in my neighborhood! A learning centre opened in the house of my neighbour Savitriben Suthar, who will be my teacher too! What a wonderful coincidence!’
In Garamadi, the center timings for girls are from 8 to 10 pm at night as many older girls are preoccupied with household and embroidery work in the daytime. Moreover, many adolescent girls live in the neighborhood and find it easier to come at this hour after doing all the chores of the day. Induba says, ‘These timings are very convenient to me as I have to work for the entire day! I can conveniently study at night. I have learnt to read and write Gujarati. I can write my name, names of my family members, names of animals etc. I also learnt to count numbers till 100 and besides doing additions. And I want to learn a lot more!’
The education that she obtained at the AGLC empowered her so much that she fought with her parents for her younger sister’s high school education. Since there is no high school in Garamadi, girls have to go to a neighboring village for the same. Induba’s younger sister, Santuba on completion was prevented from continuing her studies as it involved travel and concerns about her safety. Induba fought with her parents and succeeded in convincing them about the opportunities that lie in store.
Reflecting on her accomplishments with a sense of fulfillment, Induba says, ‘Although I could not go to school, I am happy that my sister is studying further. Bhaniye to jeevan sudhre! If one is educated, one can live a better life!’
A lamp has been lit and the glow of self sacrifice perhaps never shone brighter. Even in the midst of penury, squalour and deprivation; a small girl is rich enough to think of a sister’s welfare. (425 words)
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