Kendrapara: A woman from the minority community here has taken it upon herself a mission to motivate illiterate and poor parents of her community to send their daughters to schools. Her indefatigable efforts over last one-and-a half decades have yielded results what with 30 girls of her community including some school dropouts regularly attending a school.
Nighar Afrin (20) of Dilwarpur village under Kendrapara township works at Dilwarpur Urdu primary school as a sikhya sahayika.
“Being a minority community woman, I faced lots of problems to stand on my feet as my in-law’s family belonged to a conservative one. I can better understand the difficulties of girls, esp those from poor background who want to get primary education. I made up my mind to ensure that minority community girls of my locality get primary education,” Afrin said.
Afrin said education is widely recognized as a fundamental right of every individual. Every child should get primary education. The future of our country depends on the children of today. If the girls of our community get education, the future of the community will shine.
Among minority communities, the family does not give importance to girl’s education. This is basically found in poverty stricken, illiterate families.”I found that several minor girls were married due to lack of education and awareness on child marriage,” Afrin said.
She started going to the houses of poor and illiterate families and started motivating the family members to send their girls to schools so that they get the much needed primary education. “I motivate illiterate parents that if their girls are educated their future would be secured and the future of the community would be better,” said the burkha clad shikhya sahayak.
I repeatedly went to their houses to convince their patents to send their girls to schools. I assured their parents that I would take care of their daughters,” Afrin added. As a result of this, some poor parents got motivated and started sending their girls. More than 30 girls including some school dropouts come with me to Dilwarpur Urdu primary school,” Afrin said.
“I go to every household to bring the girls to the school and then drop them back in their houses after the school hours” said Afrin, who is popularly known as ‘Appi’.
“My daughter was not going to school. Appi came to my house and asked me to send my daughter to the school. I was motivated by her words and now I send my daughter with Appi to Dilwarpur Urdu primary school,” Kobra Biwi said. PNN
