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Ludhiana advocate helping slum women read and write
Inspired by an African proverb, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation”, Hariom Jindal, an advocate by profession, has started educating women in a slum area in the city.
Inspired by an African proverb, “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation”, Hariom Jindal, an advocate by profession, has started educating women in a slum area in the city.
After an effort that lasted for a month, Jindal has been able to convince eight women to study at the school run by him at a shanty in the slum on Hambran Road.
Jindal said, “This will encourage slum children to come to school on a regular-basis.”
“In one month, these women have learnt to write their names in English and Hindi. Now they can even read hoardings and signboards and are ecstatic over their achievement,” he said.
Jindal has appointed a teacher to teach them and provides free stationery and books to them.
Manika, who is a regular student at the school, said “Initially, I hesitated to join the school, but Jindal ji and schoolteacher convinced me. I am learning a lot here. I can write my name in English, which is an achievement for me.”
“As I have understood the importance of education in our lives, I have decided to send my children to school regularly, so that they can make their future better,” she added.
Hariom Jindal said, “It was a tough job to bring women to school, as they were reluctant. But I never gave up and succeeded in bringing them to school.”
Savita, another woman, said, “Apart from reading and writing, we are being taught about our administrative system. I know what my rights as a citizen are.”
Saroj, who is teaching the slum women, said, “I started from teaching them alphabets, and then making words from them. These women are learning fast.”
NO SCHOOLS NEAR HAMBRAN ROAD SLUM
Jindal said, “Many NGOs visited this slum to enroll children to school. But, they failed to persuade children as well as their parents, as the school was situated far away from the area. So, I started the school in the shanty itself two years ago.”
“At present, 30 students study here. They no more beg on the streets and took pledge to go to school for further education,” he added.
He said, “Students were not coming to the school regularly, so I decided to bring their mothers to school. This has helped in improving the attendance at school.”
