The Amritsar area is inhabited by the Dalit people who have long suffered from social and economic oppression. This has translated to limited access to health care, education and employment opportunity. Most of the rural Dalit people in the North of India are landless labourers and work long hours for local landlords.

For over one hundred years, the Dalit people have been denied education on a fairly constant basis. Literacy in the villages surrounding Amritsar is only 40 percent and motivation for any further education is low. Only 38 percent of children in the area attend school and the dropout rate is very high.

Dalit girls face multiple levels of disadvantage. Particularly in rural areas in India, girls and women are controlled by men and have few freedoms. Many are married off young, and others denied education.

The project provides education programs for 400 Dalit children in one village outside Amritsar and aims to increase literacy rates from 40% to 80%. The education program includes the training and provision of teaching staff, uniforms and study materials. Study centres provide the necessary extra support to children who are particularly vulnerable.

Central to the project is raising awareness of the important role girls and women play in society and the value of educating girls. In addition to the education program, health programs such a pre and post natal care and sanitation training and awareness are being implemented in the community.

2011 Updates

After an initial survey establishing the needs of the community, this project has been running since the end of 2008. Since that time, children, including those that had previously dropped out of school, have been enrolled in local primary schools and in the project’s literacy coaching centres, where they receive added educational support.

Another positive impact has been on the adult population, who have become increasingly aware of their rights. They have petioned the local government on matters of water, land and education.

At the village level, education for girls is increasingly valued, as well as their right to make decisions that affect their lives. In the future, this project will be expanded to other marginalised communities in other villages. Added attention will be given to the question of what happens when primary school aged children finish the program and expanding opportunities for high school aged students.

Downloadable Resources:

Project Sheet

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