The Inspiring Journey of a Brave Child in Pursuit of Education in India
The natural gift of perseverance, patience, and extraordinary confidence is the true power that can break the shackles of all difficulties.
- Prakash Gupta
The Challenge of Child Education in India
Valuram Gameti is a student from a small tribal hamlet named Sanghon ka Vera in the Gogunda block of Udaipur district. He belongs to the Bhil tribe, which has a very low literacy rate. Despite the challenging circumstances, Valuram has shown remarkable determination to pursue his education, traveling almost 12 kilometers daily to attend school. His story is an inspiration for anyone who believes in the power of education to transform lives.
Challenges Faced by Valuram
Valuram's commitment to study can be seen from the fact that he scored the highest marks during class VIII, and the state government has given him a laptop as a gift for the achievement. Unfortunately, he could not use the laptop because his village has no electricity. This is a fact for a number of students like Valuram, who, for this reason, have sold their laptops to other people in the city for a small amount. But Valuram didn't sell his laptop. His mother told us that though they were willing to sell the laptop, the teacher of the school wouldn't let them do so.
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Child Education in India - The Scenario in Sanghon ka Vera
To know the scenario of the place better, we went along with him. It took nearly an hour and a half to reach the place where he resides - Sanghon ka Vera, a tribal hamlet which falls under Gogunda block of Udaipur district. Sanghon ka Vera is in a valley with nearly 40 families. Till date, there is no electricity and water supply in that region.
Valuram belongs to the Bhil tribe. The Bhil tribe has a very low literacy rate. In fact, Valuram's mother never went to school, and his father gave up studies after finishing class V. He has 4 siblings - 2 brothers and 2 sisters. His parents are sending all of them to school. Being the eldest son of his family, he is struggling hard to achieve what none in his hamlet has ever achieved yet.
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Overcoming Poverty and Breaking the Shackles
Almost all the people accept the situation as it is. The major source of livelihood is either meager work in nearby village shops or subsistence agriculture. Even in agriculture, the major chunk of the population is dependent solely on kharif crops, as the rabi crops need abundance of irrigation. The secondary occupation is livestock rearing. They have animals like goats, camels, etc., which they sell only in adverse situations to get immediate monetary assistance. Further, 'Sanghon ka vera' is totally cut off from government-initiated welfare plans and policies.
Poverty sometimes acts as a monster that takes its toll, and the worst sufferer and the softest target is always a child's future. While we can't generalize, it does appear as if this boy has something outstanding in him - the natural gift of perseverance, patience, and extraordinary confidence. He talks less and listens more. His silence, however, brings to mind the truth in Binoy Acharya's words "sometimes, we need to learn from people's silence". Though the path Valuram has chosen might seem humble to create even a ripple in the vast sea of the outside world, he is confidently preparing himself
