Sarvodaya Ashram: A Home Of Hopes

“We helped so many girls to come out from that live and we bought them to our centers. But we don’t talk about their previous lives, rather we want to make their futures bright. One of them completed their B.ED last year and many of them also got married”, says Urmila Srivastava

Whenever we talk about women’s security or education, the only answer we get is that we need ‘a change in our society’ but how many of us have been ever a partof any change? Probably very few of us have done something for change.

But then there are those who can’t see the depriving condition of girls in the society and do something about the issue, who stand up for what’s right and help improve the society.

One World News came across an organization that works on girl’s education, to give them a better future and who want to make India a better for them to live. They operate in the Hardoi district of Natpura.

Not only are they serving quality education, but they have also rescued so many girls who were forced to go into prostitution by their parents to earn livelihood for their family.

In a conversation with Urmila Srivastava, the President of Sarvodaya Ashram, she shared her experience about how she decided to work for such a good cause in Hardoi and what all are her future action plans are.

When did you decide to work for girl’s education and awareness in Hardoi?

My husband Ramesh Bhai was the founder of Sarvodaya Ashram, his dream was to provide quality education at the grass root level especially to girls. It has now been 30 years since we have been providing education to girls in the Hardoi district of Tandiyawan Sikanderpur. Where depressed classes girls come for education We decided to work in the education sector as we believe it is the most powerful tool to achieve anything in this world . They have bought so many girls to mainstream who were engrossed into another profession earlier.

So do you deal in the education sector only or does your organization caterto other issues as well?

We basically deal in four areas education, health, holistic development and agriculture. But our main concern is to provide education in the district.

Tell us something about your action and your plans?

When started to cater to education in the district, there were hardly any schools but now the government has set up several schools. And slowly and steadily we are witnessing change. Apart from what the government has done, we have residential schooling for girls. We have 700 girls who stay with us and we educate them.

What is residential schooling?

It is like a boarding school. Where girls can stay and get full time education and stay for themselves. So, by this opportunity they can learn, enjoy and play without any responsibility of home. Girls over here are early dropouts and some of them have even not been to school ever. By this venture, we try to provide an overall development to them.

You are operating in Hardoi so you know about the condition of rural areas? Do you have any suggestion for the government regarding what it should do to motivate education in such areas?

Yes, of course we know better about the mindsets of people here and I believe that it is not possible for the government to operate at very minute levels so being a responsible citizen I would say firstly, the government should try to improve the quality of education.It can also try to set up day boarding schools.

You mentioned about an innovative way of learning. So, what are they?

We have a tie-up with care international that support us financially and we are operating two programs ‘Udaan’ and a bridging course where we make girls study the course till 5th grade in a year and then she can directly take admission in the 6th standard who were early dropouts. The organization has also rescued some girls who were forced to work as sex workers to earn money in the district.

We talking about educating girls in rural areas but it is difficult to convince their parents so, what all problems do you people face while convincing them?

It is difficult to make them understand that educating their girl child would really help them. According to them if they would send their girl child to school, then who will do the household work. But we talk to them and try to make them understand about the importance of education. We especially take sessions of mothers because they play an important role when it comes to their daughter’s education.

What all changes did you witness in your district?

I feel happy because now we see so many girls going to schools on their cycles. This is like a dream come true, as our efforts has really made a difference in Hardoi. Parents are becoming aware and are sending their girls to schools. In the year 83, when we started there was not even a single lady who could teach and now we have a lot of female employees.

We started with a slogan “Jab bhaiya haa thbai tha ye tabhi Behena Padhane jaye” and now slowly people are doing it.

Winding up the conversation, she said that ‘change’ will still take time but yes, it has started. But before this, it is time for girls to become fearless and education will only work when they will also raise their voice against discrimination.

We as responsible citizens, will continue with our work and would come up with even more hands to join us. We are also setting up our centers in other rural areas too.

So, if you also want to be a part of the change, then join the organization as a volunteer and do your part.