Fifty per cent of children in rural areas leave school before the fifth grade: Dalit dropout rates are particularly high. A large per cent of the dropouts are females, forced by their families to work at home. As of 2011, only 65.5 per cent of women and 82.1 per cent of men in India are literate. As these children grow into adults, many are still illiterate by the age of forty. These uneducated adults are also reluctant to send their own children to school because of their failure in the education system. This in turn creates a problem for the next generation.

Rural children are not able to compete with children who have access to quality education, preventing them from attaining higher education. When they grow up, they become under- or unemployed. Lack of sufficient income and the resulting poverty therefore persists.

Even though the Indian Government has started programmes such as compulsory education until high school, the status of vulnerable children, especially in Dalit and rural communities, remains unchanged. This is because the government and schools still do not guarantee quality education, nutrition, healthcare and socialization. The school syllabi do not help them develop their capabilities. They exclude life experiences and fail to bring out hidden talents. We want to bring proper education to these children.

With that goal in mind, we started our Child Chance programme. Improving education can help raise a family out of poverty and give dignity to the child

The programme started in 2009. First, we organize awareness visits from house to house, explaining the importance of education. We encourage and motivate parents to keep their children in school. Then we appoint a qualified tutor for the village, who works with the children after school to ensure progress. We maintain records of attendance, marks, etc.

Once or twice a month, someone from our office visits and checks on the programme, attendance, and the tutor’s work, and meets with parents. By monitoring their progress, ARV has seen how children benefit. It creates an opportunity for rural children to access standard education, provides opportunities to learn with qualified teachers in natural surroundings, brings education and learning close to their reality, and helps children develop their own potential and talents.

Every literate citizen should contribute to battling the demon of illiteracy. Our motto should be “each one teach one” if we are to become a truly developed nation.

Our Child Chance centers are currently operating in four villages, and 740 children are benefitting. A fifth center is currently planned.