Education, a pathway to a dignified life for Dalit children in India

There are villages in India where people born into a lower class ‘the untouchables’ (Dalits) not only live as quasi-slaves making profits for farmers from higher castes, but they are also trapped in a system that maintains their social, economic, political, and cultural exclusion. For example, there is no school within ten kilometres, no electricity, and no public transport for potential teachers. And in any case, children are given small jobs by their parents at a very early age, which is vital for the survival of families in great difficulty.  

Thus, one of the very first projects undertaken forty years ago by the NGO Village Community Development Society (V.C.D.S.) in the state of Tamil Nadu was to set up ‘informal’ schools. These schools aimed to break this vicious cycle, which prevented any attempt at Dalit autonomy. At the start, one to two-hour evening ‘classes’ were organised with recreational, craft and cultural activities. The content of these classes quickly changed to include part of the government’s core education programme, with extended hours. Some children were the first in fifteen generations of Dalit lineage to learn to read and write. 

In just a few years, V.C.D.S had set up forty classes, three of which have been real, government-run schools as a result of regular and high attendance.  

As part of its overall empowerment project, V.C.D.S. also encourages Dalits to promote their discredited cultural heritage, particularly among children, so that they can regain their self-confidence. In addition, there is a need to compensate for the financial loss caused by the young labour force attending school. Parents have set up support groups that receive training (craftwork, home management, etc.) to try to stabilise their situation. The long-term benefit of this eventually becomes apparent. At school, children receive one meal a day, books, clothes (uniforms), everything that requires a financial contribution, but also social inclusion. These schools (eighteen in total, now the others have been entrusted to other NGOs to relieve V.C.D.S.) welcome 1,200 pupils per year and have given a foothold to some children who have gone on to become teachers, technicians, engineers, farmers, and even political figures.