Proper education at an early stage is essential, and students need to be equipped with life skills so they can use them when they grow up and join the mainstream of any nation.

In India, several avenues by government and non-government bodies promote education and impart required vocational guidance. In India, spread across a vast area and having a huge population, getting a proper education is a tough job unless the child is born into a reasonably good economic condition. Other children are often left unattended, without proper education, and remain illiterate.

Illiteracy – a particular situation in need of help

The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Himachel Pradesh (SSSO-Himachel Pradesh), looked into helping to solve the problem of illiteracy. In one of the towns of Himachal Pradesh near Shimla, an area was identified where around 200 slum dwellers have been residing for the last 7-8 years. About 50 small children from a part of this group (who should have been in regular schools but weren’t) had not been involved in activities that could have helped to give them a better start in life. Even though the government was providing free education and midday meals, as well as free books, school clothes, etc, the children were not attending school.

When we talked to the childrens' parents, the parents agreed that education was the need of the hour, but they were afraid. They had the notion that if their children went to school, they would lose them for the purpose of working to bring in needed money for the family. Thus, the parents in general force their children to work with them and not go to school.

The result: the children remain illiterate, do not get much education, and the cycle continues, maintaining a standard of poverty for the families.

The Sathya Sai Seva Organisation wanted to change these habits and came up with a plan.

Aims and objectives

The plan was threefold:

1. The first task was to instill confidence in this community regarding the Sri Sathys Sai Seva Organisation (SSSO) — that it would be there to help them, with love. The confidence, courage, and compassion instilled by Sathya Sai Baba in his devotees, and the understanding of his omnipresence, would ensure this.

2. Once the families had this confidence in the volunteers of the SSSO, the families would be encouraged to allow their children to attain a minimum level of school education.

3. Third, children who wanted more education would be helped to get it — as high as they wanted.

Strategies adopted 

1. Motivate the parents and children for education.

2. Assist in studies and routine of the children.

3. Assist in keeping up the hygiene and health of these children.

4. Assist in cleaning up their residential areas.

5. Conduct regularly: 

(a) Meal and food distribution (“Narayana Seva”)

(b) Medical camps

(c) Dental and hygiene camps

(d) Festival activities

(e) Distribution of clothes, blankets, fruits, etc

(f) Umbrella distribution at the site of the activities

Implementation

Youth volunteers began regular visits to the area in the year 2010. At first, fortnightly visits identified the beneficiaries and provided the area residents with a chance to get to know the volunteers. On Sundays, a community kitchen was started, and more than 100 people took prasadam (gift of food or meal) on Sunday evenings. Interaction with the members of their community provided a summary of their needs. Discussions with the elders guided the youth about the materials and methods to address those needs.

The state president of the SSSO, along with other Sai organisation office bearers, visited the place. Members of the Sai organisation also visited the nearby government primary school, where the children of the area were to study. The children were then motivated to attend school regularly and were assured of all help in their studies. A plan to assist the students in any way that was necessary was made.

Regular Narayana seva (community feeding), clothes distribution, participation in festivals, umbrella distribution, blanket distribution, and medical awareness camps became part of the activity.

Results

Results are awaited. With the blessings of Sathya Sai Baba, the children and parents of the area are now motivated for education. Plans are underway to teach the women of the community various skills so they can increase their livelihood. We wish to continue this project until we feel, with the Lord’s blessings, we have done everything we could to help these people.

Additional Info

Project Coordinator: Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation-Himachel Pradesh

Contact Person:Dr Sanjay Aggarwal, State President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva

Organisation-Himachel Pradesh State, mail ID: sp.hp@ssssoindia.org

For General enquiries:  Sri D Vishnu Vardhan Rao, admin@ssssoindia.org dvvrao@yahoo.com  Mob +91 9440896720

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