Building a kaarvaan

Born and brought up in a remote village of Kulgam district of Kashmir, Meenu’s aspirations went beyond just academic interests. She wanted to be a teacher but was also curious to understand the education scenario of her village and state. Back in December 2015, Pratham with the help of some teachers and volunteers, conducted ‘Lakhon mein Ek’ to assess the learning levels of children. One such assessment was conducted in Meenu’s village.

“I was introduced to this assessment by one of our local teachers. I was shocked to learn that the reading and arithmetic competency of children from my village was very poor. It was at that moment that I made up my mind to help children of my village to acquire these foundational skills. I was very confused and I didn’t know how to start. I just knew that I had to engage with the children and educate them, but I wasn’t sure how”, Meenu recalls.

Meenu approached Pratham as a volunteer for the library program. She mobilized the village with help from local school teachers. Her drive to work for children motivated the parents and community at large. The library began at her home and as the number of children grew, she moved it to one of the classrooms in a school in the village.

Every evening now, the kids come together to talk, play, read and share stories. Parents and local teachers of the village act as observers. Children learn new words every day through puzzles and games and Meenu uses fun activities to explain difficult mathematical concepts. There is always room for children to explore their creative side through art and craft. “I guess taking the first step was quite tough, but gradually everything fell into place. I started my class with a single student and now I have to look for more space every few weeks. This reminds me of the couplet from a poem of Majrooh Sultanpuri:

مگر منزل جانبِ تھا چلا ہی اکیلا میں

گیا بنتا کارواں اور گئے آتے ساتھ لوگ

which means - I started this journey alone towards my destination; people started joining and we formed a kaarvaan,”, Meenu says, impassioned.

For so many years, I used to see children in my village wandering about all day, or after school. Their learning levels were definitely low. I do see a lot of change in the children in the library. Not only can they speak with confidence in a class, but can also do basic Math with relative ease! On a positive note, Meenu concludes, “I am not saying that I have completely changed the learning levels of these children, but I continue to try to bring out best in them. Every evening at the end of the class, I see these children leave with a smile and this is what motivates me to continue this good work.”