In one of the assignments to children, they were asked to express their personal journey and what they want to do in life. They also identified children between 6 – 10 years of age and their reasons of not attending schools. Based on their essays and views on education of such children, 11 fellows have been identified. These fellows will be nurtured for a period of 6 months and one of the follow up is a visit to Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) where they shall get a chance to interact with other children and see this world through a different perspective. We have planned to continue this on a rotation basis after the first 6 months where other children also get a chance.
Priya
These are the two excerpts from so many responses:
Priya is a Class 8th student in a Government middle school at Gopalganj. She begins her write up with a wish that she keeps good health so that she can do whatever she likes to. She wants to learn dance and music so that she can teach them to other children. She believes in hard work and compares, “Just as we sow saplings and that in turn grow into trees and gives us fruits, in the same manner parents gave me birth, they are nurturing me and when I grow up, I want to give them back happiness”. She then sarcastically raises a question (probably her personal journey): “if all parents take proper care of education for the boys and neglect their girl child, what shall happen to a girl’s dreams? Suppose, if my parents do not teach me further, my dreams will die. But this would be the biggest sin by my parents because boys do not take care of parents but girls worry and take care till the end. So, I should pursue education”
Khushboo
Khusboo is a blessed child. She is a Class 9th student. When I was in that Class, I remember many of my classmate’s ambition was to become an IAS officer but leave about the abbreviation, many would write it as ‘IS’ officer (and some of them were children of bureaucrats). She belongs to a dalit family and has seldom gone out of the village, baring the 3 kms travel to her school. But, her writings speaks of her courage and a desire to excel in life…and for the society.
In the words of Khusboo, “I am studying and want to be an educated girl. I wish to become an IAS officer so that I can do good to the society. I know this is going to be a tough journey for me but those who keep trying, never fail. I will achieve my dreams by trying and working hard. I am born human and this motivates me to do good.”
Priya’s and Khusboo’s dreams are common to millions of girls in our country. But, their dreams are being murdered. A girl is not allowed to go out of her home and study, married at young ages, married not according to their choices and when they give birth to a girl, the innocent kid being left behind or killed. We at PRAYOG, witness around 60 girls in the age group of 5-15.
We want them to fly, we want them to follow their dreams!
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Last Updated: April 13, 2017 by Surya Prakash Rai
What Shall Happen To A Girl’s Dreams?
What Shall Happen To A Girl’s Dreams?
In one of the assignments to children, they were asked to express their personal journey and what they want to do in life. They also identified children between 6 – 10 years of age and their reasons of not attending schools. Based on their essays and views on education of such children, 11 fellows have been identified. These fellows will be nurtured for a period of 6 months and one of the follow up is a visit to Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) where they shall get a chance to interact with other children and see this world through a different perspective. We have planned to continue this on a rotation basis after the first 6 months where other children also get a chance.
These are the two excerpts from so many responses:
Priya is a Class 8th student in a Government middle school at Gopalganj. She begins her write up with a wish that she keeps good health so that she can do whatever she likes to. She wants to learn dance and music so that she can teach them to other children. She believes in hard work and compares, “Just as we sow saplings and that in turn grow into trees and gives us fruits, in the same manner parents gave me birth, they are nurturing me and when I grow up, I want to give them back happiness”. She then sarcastically raises a question (probably her personal journey): “if all parents take proper care of education for the boys and neglect their girl child, what shall happen to a girl’s dreams? Suppose, if my parents do not teach me further, my dreams will die. But this would be the biggest sin by my parents because boys do not take care of parents but girls worry and take care till the end. So, I should pursue education”
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