By Maharshi Vaishnav
In the realm of development, there is an increasing interest shown by young and aware professionals in making a sustainable difference in the communities they hail from. When it comes to Indian villages, this difference is heralded by over two million Civil Society Organisations focussed on rural India. The collaborative effort undertaken by these organisations stems from the passion and drive of young change-makers. However, there is also a need to bring first-hand ground-level experiences to the solutions so as to ensure that they are sustainable.
In its 15 years of work with communities on the margin, Educate Girls has adopted a community first approach that taps into the personal experiences of changemakers to promote the sustainable development of such communities.
The role of changemakers has undergone a significant paradigm shift that now emphasises on ‘gaining together’, than the understanding of ‘giving back’. It is this inclusive approach that fosters systemic change emerging from the roots, thereby inducing a change in mindset which is crucial to deal with generational exclusion that our girls face.
Youth Mobilising Communities to bring about Social Change
In Singrauli, like many other regions in the country, labourers migrate to cities in pursuit of work opportunities, affecting their children’s education who are at times forced to drop out of school.
Local educators Amita Devi and Bibha Devi, approached by community volunteers, found a way to bridge the literacy gap. They recognised that migrant families returned during exam periods. By harnessing digital communication, the team began sharing study materials on the parents’ phones so that kids remained updated during periods of absence. This approach minimised learning gaps, improved students’ attendance and increased exam participation. Further, awareness was raised regarding local employment schemes like MGNREGA to reduce migration. An intimate understanding of the problem was instrumental in addressing it in a nuanced fashion.
Transforming the Social Sector for Sustainable Development
There remains a novel approach to development wherein change emerges from within the community. Here, youth leaders who have experienced the issues first-hand lead the way in mitigating them by being conscious of the factors that the community thrives in. For instance, Educate Girl’s Team Balika are community volunteers who work within their communities as catalysts for change. What sets it apart is the team’s adeptness at fostering strong community liaisons with local educators.
The concept of Team Balika cements the disconnect between volunteers and the community, guided by their motto “mera gaon, meri samsya aur main hi samadhan”. The sentiment is instrumental in development as youth leaders then embark upon solving the problems faced by their own people in their own villages through their own solutions. In our experience, there are three major barriers that keep girls away from school – Poverty, Patriarchy, and Policy. Initiatives like leading community meetings to work towards mindset shift and linking families to social welfare schemes have worked. Last year alone, we were able to help 51,000 families with government identification documents to help with school enrolment.
An Ideal Fit for Rural Development
India’s intricate geography often leaves remote regions unnoticed mid development. Community volunteers like Team Balika by Educate Girls hold immense potential to reach the most remote and marginalised areas of the country. On this promising premise, the organisation collaborates with a network of over 20,000 change makers operating in more than 20,000 villages. This one-to-one approach stands strong on the passion and drive of these young changemakers to transform the living conditions of their communities.
Now imagine the demographic social dividend that we could encash with over 7 lakh youth champions across seven lakh villages in India.
The author is CEO of Educate Girls. Views are personal.