HUMANIST ALTERNATIVE FOR SCAVENGER GIRLS

Savitri Bai Phule Scholarship Programme for the scavenger girl students of Mohammdabad, 

Ghazipur ( Uttar-Pradesh)

We would like to inform you that we wish to start a movement of delinking people from their traditional occupation which has degraded them.  While Ghazipur district has around 5000 Swachchkar families, in Mohammdabad, they should be around 2,000 families. Mohammdabad is the biggest block of Ghazipur district.

In the first phase of our work, we have donated books to the girls as well as stationary and their school fee, annual and other expenses. We will be giving school books for the year period and recycle those books next year to the needy students. In a few years period, we will be in a position to have a book bank.

Our aim is to make a Community Resource Center in Mohammdabad. The two computers that we are providing with your assistance would work not only as trainer to other students also but also work as information provider. The coordinator and other people would be able to provide related information regarding the community online. This is a long term perspective which I have designed for many other communities. Communities are exploited because they do not have information. Even Right to Information would be redundant if communities do not have their own information to verify facts.

The other girls who have not studied beyond 8th standard and wish to learn sewing, are being provided to learn sewing. We hope we have many more such techniques like electrician, driving, beautician, graphic designer, software, social activists and other more things so the girls may take interest in it. We have also decided to organize workshop in creative writing and film making so that skills could be developed.

While we respect the right to individual freedom to believe in faith, SDF as an organisation promote humanism, rational thinking and scientific temperament. Superstition is one area which has destroyed the freedom of communities.

We have decided to adopt four-five villages in the initial phase and work eliminate scavenging in those areas. Our activist led by Rajkapoor Rawat would seriously propagate promoting Self Help Groups among the communities.

The five villages adopted for the elimination of scavenging are the following :

1. Karimuddinpur in Barachaur block     13 families

2. Adilabad in Mohammdabad block       16 families

3. Kasimabad  in Kasimabad                 4 families

4. Alavalpur                                         3 families

5. Gauspur in Mohammdabad district      12 families

We hope to work agaisnt elimination of the scaevenging in these villages with in a year period. This is our sincere hope and there are lot of issues involved. The local community leaders, the powerful Muslim, Bhoomihar, thakurs and Brahmin community which object fearing who will 'clean' their toilets.

We are looking for quality work with a clear frame of mind that there is a need to question not only history but also social norms and religious practices. We feel that our work in Ghazipur would provide enough ideas to replicate it at a bigger level. I am sure once the community is connected, we all will be able to communicate with the girls. Atleast, your mails could be forwarded to them.

We are thankful to you all and we do hope you will continue to support this initiative for change. WE assure you that we will use every pie of funds provided for the cause.We also request that any one of you come across good books for children, inspiring biographies etc, particularly in Hindi language, please do send us. We wish to start our library in the area. Also for friends like Supratik, I would request for a long term computer centre for the community that could be used as a resource center as well as computer training cetnre for the community. Hence Second hand computers, printers, scanners, softwares are welcome.

Any individual support is welcome. Donations in India are exempt under section 80G of the Income Tax act and could be used for the tax rebates by individuals and companies.

With warm regards,

Vidya Bhushan Rawat