When I was traveling to Nuapada district of Orissa, it was in my mind to interact with children and school teacher for getting the sense about the social change process. It is my personal belief that education is the most powerful tool for social change and the educational institution at village level will give unbiased opinion for social change. I have utilized my time and went to two villages of Khariar Block of Nuapada district and taken the observation in memory for writing something. It was the month of December 2008 and in agricultural calendar it is AGHAN month, one of the most prosperous period for agriculturist when the grains are coming to the house from farm land, everybody farmer to agriculture workers are happy during the period as because they got the return of their labour after six months of time period.
Nuapada district was separated by undivided kalahandi district of Orissa. It is a drought prone area but average annual rainfall is as high as 1378 mm, It has suffered repeated drought; in 1965, 1972-73, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1987-89, and 2002. 23% of the household in the area is landless and nearly 52% household is under the category of small and marginal farmers. Only 7% household are controlling over major of the agricultural land and also in allied business in the area.
I and Ashis (my colleague) went to the Thakpali village in Khariar block, it was 10 K.M far from the block head quarter, We reached to the Thakpali primary school, only one teacher as Siksha Sahayak and there are five class but only two room and one shed for cooking the food under mid day meal scheme. We interacted with 20-25 school and non going children of the village at school building, there was 10 adult members were also present in the meeting. We asked to the children “Do you like to draw pictures” they replied “yes” then I asked to the friends of Chale Chalo (a
NGO working in the Khariar block) to provide drawing sheet and colour pencils to the children so that they can draw. With the help of my friends of the Chale chalo I asked the children to draw the picture on the theme ‘what do you think about the society”. Ashis has helped me in translating the theme in Oriya. It was very interesting some of the children became active immediately and there after getting the drawing sheet and colour pencil and others are watching to other friends who are drawing the picture. Some of the children were writing some poems.
Small children were silent and looking after the elder brothers. But all are very serious towards their job. After the completion of the drawing and writings we have asked to the children please explain what you draw in the sheet. Presentation of the drawing started. It is not only drawing but it is the picture of the present society and also what they are thinking of development means.
A village of my dream-
My village will smile when all the villagers will live together, where there will be neither violence nor enmity, when we will unite, there will be no enmity but there will be brotherhood among all. There will be pity to the poor. People will work collectively. We will plant variety of tress; no body will destroy the plant. Village will be covered by green plants and dense forest. Birds and animal will make their nest and caves. Our village will be neat and clean. We will get the reward from
world. I want to see village like this. Mukesh is saying to all kindly obey my words.
By- Mukesh Gahir, class VIII student of
Thakpali village.
Picture is being drawn by school children of Thakpali village and he is explaining that our school will be like that. There must be separate class room for all classes. There must be teachers for all the classes. There must be a small garden in the school campus. There must be tree in the school campus so that it will give the feeling of greenness and environment must be neat and clean. He has also shown the toilet room for children. But at present the look of school is totally different, no separate classroom for all the classes, only single teacher, no garden, no tree and no boundary in the school. He expressed his dream in drawing. Really indicating towards quality education.
Mukesh Gahir, age 13 of Thakpali village draw a picture of a family migrating from village to outside in search of livelihood and they are also taking their children with them. He has also placed the class room in picture where all the children are in school but a single girl child is migrating with father and mother. Child expressed that migration is not good as because children are loosing their education.
Child has drawn the picture of forest and people are cutting the trees and it creates problem in the society. Picture also shown that a male person is being engaged in cutting of tress and women
are collecting the wood, only few trees are in the forest and most of the trees are being cut down. Villagers do not understand the impact of tree cutting. It has great impact with our life. In the presentation of the picture child was explaining that it is a picture of cow, we get milk and dung from cow, and it is useful for us. We drink milk and we maintain our health. We earn money after selling of milk in market. It is useful animal for us. Our livelihood based on milk. Thakpali village has good number of GAHIR family, by occupation they are milk man, therefore it is important resource for them. 80% of the families are belonging to the Gahir community and their livelihood is basically depending upon the cattle rearing and income from milk and its product. Therefore child focused on cow and draws the picture of milk giving cow.
In this picture child drawn two ideas simultaneously. Right side is saying about the present situation of the village there is a lot numbers of ditch in the road and creates problem. It is not colourful and also not decorative, but in left hand side child dreamt a colourful house with four
wheeler motor, house is surrounded by beautiful boundary wall with gate. During the presentation child told that when I became adult I will built house like that in village and he also expressed that every person should have such types of house in the village. At present the village road is not good therefore it is problem to run a vehicle in the road and therefore accident occurs frequently. It is a beautiful picture and also comparative figure, what is today and what will be in future. It is the dream of children regarding his life style. There is a green tree, a beautiful house, there is well with rope, a beautiful sitting place in the village, tree with fruits, a farmer plough the land with the help of cattle. It is a village based on agricultural activity. In the presentation and explanation of the picture child narrated that we are depending upon the agriculture and it is our
livelihood. Agriculture is done on land therefore land is very important livelihood source for us. Every one in the village should have land and we have to be engage in agricultural activity in the village as because it gives us grains to eat and to survive. Child has drawn 12 pictures in small sheet and shown the routine of child for a day. It is a dream of child for daily routine, though he is not able follow the routine due to some obstacle in the house and society but child is dreaming the routine with availability of all the requirements. He dreamt about good environment with all the facility in the house, good school building and playing ground in the village where all the children of the village will play football collectively. Regular study during evening with the supply of electricity and child is dreaming for every child in the village.
Nuapada district was separated by undivided kalahandi district of Orissa. It is a drought prone area but average annual rainfall is as high as 1378 mm, It has suffered repeated drought; in 1965, 1972-73, 1979-80, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1987-89, and 2002. 23% of the household in the area is landless and nearly 52% household is under the category of small and marginal farmers. Only 7% household are controlling over major of the agricultural land and also in allied business in the area.
I and Ashis (my colleague) went to the Thakpali village in Khariar block, it was 10 K.M far from the block head quarter, We reached to the Thakpali primary school, only one teacher as Siksha Sahayak and there are five class but only two room and one shed for cooking the food under mid day meal scheme. We interacted with 20-25 school and non going children of the village at school building, there was 10 adult members were also present in the meeting. We asked to the children “Do you like to draw pictures” they replied “yes” then I asked to the friends of Chale Chalo (a
NGO working in the Khariar block) to provide drawing sheet and colour pencils to the children so that they can draw. With the help of my friends of the Chale chalo I asked the children to draw the picture on the theme ‘what do you think about the society”. Ashis has helped me in translating the theme in Oriya. It was very interesting some of the children became active immediately and there after getting the drawing sheet and colour pencil and others are watching to other friends who are drawing the picture. Some of the children were writing some poems.
Small children were silent and looking after the elder brothers. But all are very serious towards their job. After the completion of the drawing and writings we have asked to the children please explain what you draw in the sheet. Presentation of the drawing started. It is not only drawing but it is the picture of the present society and also what they are thinking of development means.
A village of my dream-
My village will smile when all the villagers will live together, where there will be neither violence nor enmity, when we will unite, there will be no enmity but there will be brotherhood among all. There will be pity to the poor. People will work collectively. We will plant variety of tress; no body will destroy the plant. Village will be covered by green plants and dense forest. Birds and animal will make their nest and caves. Our village will be neat and clean. We will get the reward from
world. I want to see village like this. Mukesh is saying to all kindly obey my words.
By- Mukesh Gahir, class VIII student of
Thakpali village.
Picture is being drawn by school children of Thakpali village and he is explaining that our school will be like that. There must be separate class room for all classes. There must be teachers for all the classes. There must be a small garden in the school campus. There must be tree in the school campus so that it will give the feeling of greenness and environment must be neat and clean. He has also shown the toilet room for children. But at present the look of school is totally different, no separate classroom for all the classes, only single teacher, no garden, no tree and no boundary in the school. He expressed his dream in drawing. Really indicating towards quality education.
Mukesh Gahir, age 13 of Thakpali village draw a picture of a family migrating from village to outside in search of livelihood and they are also taking their children with them. He has also placed the class room in picture where all the children are in school but a single girl child is migrating with father and mother. Child expressed that migration is not good as because children are loosing their education.
Child has drawn the picture of forest and people are cutting the trees and it creates problem in the society. Picture also shown that a male person is being engaged in cutting of tress and women
are collecting the wood, only few trees are in the forest and most of the trees are being cut down. Villagers do not understand the impact of tree cutting. It has great impact with our life. In the presentation of the picture child was explaining that it is a picture of cow, we get milk and dung from cow, and it is useful for us. We drink milk and we maintain our health. We earn money after selling of milk in market. It is useful animal for us. Our livelihood based on milk. Thakpali village has good number of GAHIR family, by occupation they are milk man, therefore it is important resource for them. 80% of the families are belonging to the Gahir community and their livelihood is basically depending upon the cattle rearing and income from milk and its product. Therefore child focused on cow and draws the picture of milk giving cow.
In this picture child drawn two ideas simultaneously. Right side is saying about the present situation of the village there is a lot numbers of ditch in the road and creates problem. It is not colourful and also not decorative, but in left hand side child dreamt a colourful house with four
wheeler motor, house is surrounded by beautiful boundary wall with gate. During the presentation child told that when I became adult I will built house like that in village and he also expressed that every person should have such types of house in the village. At present the village road is not good therefore it is problem to run a vehicle in the road and therefore accident occurs frequently. It is a beautiful picture and also comparative figure, what is today and what will be in future. It is the dream of children regarding his life style. There is a green tree, a beautiful house, there is well with rope, a beautiful sitting place in the village, tree with fruits, a farmer plough the land with the help of cattle. It is a village based on agricultural activity. In the presentation and explanation of the picture child narrated that we are depending upon the agriculture and it is our
livelihood. Agriculture is done on land therefore land is very important livelihood source for us. Every one in the village should have land and we have to be engage in agricultural activity in the village as because it gives us grains to eat and to survive. Child has drawn 12 pictures in small sheet and shown the routine of child for a day. It is a dream of child for daily routine, though he is not able follow the routine due to some obstacle in the house and society but child is dreaming the routine with availability of all the requirements. He dreamt about good environment with all the facility in the house, good school building and playing ground in the village where all the children of the village will play football collectively. Regular study during evening with the supply of electricity and child is dreaming for every child in the village.
Conclusion
I am concluding my thinking not the child’s thinking process. I am sharing my observation what I received during interaction with children in village Thakpali. It was very much creative and energetic to think for the society with the view of children. These small children covered the surroundings of the society which impacts their life and they are dreaming in present society and what are the important components for the life they have focused. In poem, it is beautiful explanation of the society. There is a feeling of equality, equity, justice, unity, fraternity among themselves. This is not only confined to human being but also justice to the environment. It is the message of the child to the adult society to obey what a child is saying. School is the core and central point of the most pictures, therefore children are very much interested to get the quality education in the village and perhaps we are not able to provide the environment and infrastructure to the children for getting the proper education. Every child wants and needs quality education in its surroundings but adult society as whole are not able to provide the quality
education to the children therefore it is a dream of the children. Beside the school education, children are also reflected the issue of migration, protection and promotion of forest, livelihood. Children are linking the migration issue with the education of children and also saying that we are not able to hold the resources of the village like forest and land, therefore migrating to outstation for livelihood and this impacts child education. Really children have the conscious to define the society and also have the power to dream the society, but we adult are ignoring the child dream and making the thing more complex in search of an ideal society.
I am concluding my thinking not the child’s thinking process. I am sharing my observation what I received during interaction with children in village Thakpali. It was very much creative and energetic to think for the society with the view of children. These small children covered the surroundings of the society which impacts their life and they are dreaming in present society and what are the important components for the life they have focused. In poem, it is beautiful explanation of the society. There is a feeling of equality, equity, justice, unity, fraternity among themselves. This is not only confined to human being but also justice to the environment. It is the message of the child to the adult society to obey what a child is saying. School is the core and central point of the most pictures, therefore children are very much interested to get the quality education in the village and perhaps we are not able to provide the environment and infrastructure to the children for getting the proper education. Every child wants and needs quality education in its surroundings but adult society as whole are not able to provide the quality
education to the children therefore it is a dream of the children. Beside the school education, children are also reflected the issue of migration, protection and promotion of forest, livelihood. Children are linking the migration issue with the education of children and also saying that we are not able to hold the resources of the village like forest and land, therefore migrating to outstation for livelihood and this impacts child education. Really children have the conscious to define the society and also have the power to dream the society, but we adult are ignoring the child dream and making the thing more complex in search of an ideal society.
No comments:
Post a Comment