Trading in a career as a Sarpanch (village council chief) to liberate the voices of his community wasn’t an easy decision for Satyawan Verma to make, but it was the most beneficial one for him and his community. Foregoing the pressures of politics to become an India Unheard Community Correspondent has enabled Satyawan to combat gender discrimination and caste-based violence…
Schools are constructed for the children of brick kiln workers.
In 2010, Satyawan, our Community Correspondent in Haryana, shot a video in Prabhuwada village, where the absence of schools deprived the children of their right to education. The kids, whose parents mostly work in the numerous local brick kilns were idling around, or getting drawn into child labor, helping their parents in the brick industries. Satyawan was moved by their situation, and he took his video to local officials, urging them to put an end to this situation, and to comply to the Right of Education Act, that grants every child free education.
The officials took note of his demand and some time later, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme – Education for All – schools were set up across the village in all brick kilns areas. The kids have been provided with free stationery, and can now access education free of cost. To avoid postponing the schooling of these children, some teachers have started teaching in the open or in any available buildings.
The kids and their parents are happy and grateful. The workers are aware that education is the key to ensure a better future for their children, and the children are delighted to learn reading and writing which are skills so precious in life. Satyawan was also thrilled that his video brought such a change. “People have to fight to be educated in India. By making a video, I helped them, and I’m proud and happy that it worked,” said Satyawan.
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