FAQsAnita Marande and the children's group in Baikaria
BOARIJORE VILLAGE – BOARIJORE PANCHAYAT – BOARIJORE BLOCK – GODDA DISTRICT – JHARKHAND (PROJECT SATHEE)
In a remote village called Baikaria in Godda district of Jharkhand, children did not go to school. The 22 tribal families who inhabited Baikaria did not even know that the shell that stood outside their village from 1972 was a primary school. No teacher had been assigned to the school.
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SATHEE, a CRY America supported project started working in Baikaria in 2006. Slowly the tribal communities became aware of their rights and started working on solutions to improve the lives of their children and their own. They formed a village council, women’s groups and other issue based collectives. A children’s group was also formed, of which 13 year old Anita Marandi became the leader.
Education for the Baikaria children was an important issue that the village took up. The non functioning school was discussed by the children’s group. 500 post cards about the non functional school were sent to the Divisional Commissioner & the District education officials. No response was received for 2 months – so the kids took out a rally to meet the DM & top education officials. This propelled the DM to take immediate action. A teacher was assigned to the school. This rally was led by Anita.
The school teacher arrived, but he was not serious and was often drunk. This was not acceptable to the community, including the children. The children started keeping a daily diary which recorded the days proceedings in the school, including information about the teacher. They met the block education officials and shared the data from their daily diary with them. They received no response. They did not give up - they waited all day at the office of the officials. Finally at 3pm, the teacher was called. He arrived drunk. The officials were embarrassed and immediately suspended the teacher. Two new teachers were appointed.
[Anita heading a Children's Parliament]
Anita supported the teachers by disseminating information to parents and students about exam dates, distribution of school books etc. She also reported child health problems to health workers & the village council. She also influenced other children (specially working children) to join and remain in school.
The Baikaria children’s group meets every month and comprises of 50 boys & girls. The children discuss their education such as basic infrastructure at school, enrolment and retention issues and review data that they have recorded in their school daily diary.
Today the Barakaira village school is functioning well – majority of the children go to school. Mid day meals are provided to the tribal children. Drinking water and toilets are a couple of issues that still need to be addressed. 
Anita became the leader of the Boarijore Gram Panchayat level children’s parliament which meets every quarter and monitors the functioning of 9 primary schools. Data from the daily diaries from these 9 schools are consolidated, reviewed and given to the block level education officials. The government officials give written receipts for the data received and are forced to address issues with the schools.
[Children participating in Bal Mela]
Anita is now 16 years old and is preparing for her Class 10 exams. She has recently become the leader of the District level children’s parliament. She continues to go to problem villages to discuss education, health and child labor issues with children and does this very effectively. Anita’s dream is to do a teachers training course and become a teacher. In Anita’s own words to the Divisional Commissioner, “If children are given proper opportunities, we can do anything!”.
Time and again statistics have shown that girls in India have not fared well which is not due to their lack of capability or intelligence, but due to various forms of discrimination that are unjust and disabling, even before her birth. We do not let her be born. If she does - her nourishment is not given due importance and her education is not a priority. Schools are not only far away, but do not even have basic amenities like enclosed toilets which worries parents about her security. Letting her express herself or realize hr dreams is curbed out of social fear. Assumptions are made on what role she should play today and later on in her life.
CRY America believes that all children are equal – that the Girl child is a child first and that gender is merely descriptive. She has a right to be free, happy and develop to her full potential. Together – let’s make the dreams of children like Anita come true!
