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Literacy making Bakaram village proud
What was common between Srilatha, A Lalitha and Padmamma was all of them were living in the shadow of male members of their respective families but thanks to the 100 per cent literacy programme that was conducted between June and August this year, the women are now a confident lot and are turning successful entrepreneurs.
​Hyderabad: What was common between Srilatha, A Lalitha and Padmamma was all of them were living in the shadow of male members of their respective families but thanks to the 100 per cent literacy programme that was conducted between June and August this year, the women are now a confident lot and are turning successful entrepreneurs.
Bakaram jagir village in Moinabad mandal has a population of 2,500 of which 263 were illiterate. Once the literacy programme under the Saakshar Bharat scheme started visible changes were noticed. Fifty volunteers between the age 16-20 started taking classes for a batch of six persons under street lights and a unanimous decision was taken by the villagers to switch off television sets between 7 to 9 pm.
S Kiran Kumar, an IT employee who drove the literacy programme said, “91 % of the participants passed the National Institute of Open Schooling Test. The elderly who hitherto never bothered to read are now showing interest in reading.” The Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) donated 11 sewing machines and is training women from the village.
The women now are turning a new leaf and are turning into entrepreneurs. Many have started their own units and some have also turned beauticians. Srilatha, who started a tailoring unit has her hands full. Retired IAS officer K V Ramanachary has adopted the village and several organisations such as Rotary Club, ALEAP, Vijeyam Foundation, Sree Society and other NGOs have been playing an important role in the development of the village.
Laxmamma, a vegetable vendor says, “The 100-days literacy programme has changed my life. In the past I used to depend on others to calculate but now I do it all by myself. The programme has given me wings.” The elderly in the village too are more confident and want to do something constructive. Kiran Kumar says, “There is a perceptible change in their outlook. They want to learn and know what is happening beyond their village.
The fruits of literacy are sweet and the villagers are beginning to enjoy.” In the meanwhile, Kiran and his team of volunteers are now focused to continue with the literacy programme and this time around want to target the youth and start Spoken English classes making them ready to face the world.
On September 8, 2016, the sarpanch received the Saakshar Bharat Award from the President of India and the whole village is rejoicing. Literacy has given them a new identity and a fillip. The men, women, the old and the young have a spring in their step and are showing the way forward for nearby villages.
