Ranjita Jarkeya, a six-year-old tribal girl from Jharkhand living with her parents at the Salia Sahi slum, was happy when she entered the premises of Adivasi Gaon Primary School in the slum here on Friday. She was delighted when an activist gifted a school bag which she could not afford to buy in order to come to school.
Ranjita, daughter of Satyajit Jarkeya and Bela Jarkeya from Kendulata village of Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, had never attended either an Anganwadi centre or a primary school. Her father works as a rod binder, while her mother works as a daily wage labourer. She was staying at home when her elder brother Abinash was going to school.
She would be most happy to see her brother drawing and painting, but never complained her father to go to school.
The little girl used to stay alone as her parents would go outside for work every day. Despite the fact that she wanted the most to attend school, her feelings were hardly shared by her drunkard parents. Due to lack of awareness, parental motivation, poor knowledge in child rearing and child rights, Ranjita was not only neglected within the family but also used to be socially excluded in the community.
On Wednesday evening, Centre for Child and Women Development (CCWD) activist Reena Singh visited her household for some personal work.
While talking to the parents of Ranjita, she came to know that the little girl was interested to go to school along with her elder brother.
When Singh enquired about the reason of not attending school, the little girl replied that she could not go to school since she did not have a school bag. The activist immediately informed the office of the CCWD and arranged a school bag for her.
Next morning, other staff members and CCWD secretary Sadashiv Swain visited the girl’s house and mobilised the women community members and youths, besides counselling and motivating the parents of Ranjita to send her to school. When the parents agreed, the little girl went to school at around 10.30 am and was enrolled in Class-I.
“I’ll come to school every day,” said the girl, whose joy for attending the school knew no bound.