... for they have their own thoughts - Multiworld India

2005 Goa, India45SUBBA RAJUFor the last 10 years I have been observing thatthere is no marked change in the way the people ofChennekothapalli and surrounding areas ofAnantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, have celebratedtheir festivals, although these areas havebeen declared a chronically drought prone area ingovernment records and schemes. The people aremanaging their resources very wisely and having agood life. The need for agriculture among theeducated people is drastically reducing. The commonman here is able to lead a better and joyful lifecompared to the educated man.At Timbaktu we see the capacity of the commonpeople to live, the capacity to celebrate life.These are the goals of our education programme inall the activities that we conduct with children in thefive schools we run in five villages.There is a lot to learn from the children especiallythe rural children. We do lot of art and craft activitiesso that we can have good combination of artsand crafts in the academic subjects we teach.We try to teach them reading and writingthrough worksheets, play materials, etc. We haveused all methods and spent a lot of time perfectingour techniques.Children are good in house building, gardening –they produce things for the kitchen, etc. We havechildren from 8 to 15 years old. The children collectsoap nuts, wild berries, assist in cooking activities,rearing poultry and other animals, permaculture,organic farming. All these jobs are done as seriouslyas academics. The children improve as they acquireself confidence. Parents are kept informed of theprogress of their wards. It always helps.NEEMA VAISHNAVAIt is 58 years since Laxmi Ashram was started bySarlabehn. There was a clear understanding that ifat all anything would stand the test of time forpeople of India’s villages and especially in the hillstates like Uttaranchal where the woman plays thecrucial role of running the domestic set up and thefarm, the answer would have to be found inGandhiji’s philosophy of self-sustenance or BuniyadiTaleem. It would be a solution to strengthen theiralready existing inherent strengths.SIYA CHAUHANIn the Tehri Garwhal region of Uttarkhand the situationis very different. The women here may have notbeen to formal schools but are capable of doing 50different kinds of jobs related to their home andland. One earning member can support 15 people.Alcohol is not a problem even though it is sometimesbrewed at home.