Educating A Girl

A small story today that touched my heart. A girl came along with the maid who works at my sister's house. She has studied her twelfth class but have not completed. She isnt interested in studies. Facing financial problems and at the same time her father's illness, perhaps forced her to work though. Having been financially independent now on working and supporting her family, its indeed praiseworthy. Although we told her to continue studies but she isn't interested at all. However, her interest to learn new words in English or any meaning, whether she has read it somewhere or heard from someone doesnt end.  

Today she came along with one of her friend, Deepa. I asked the Deepa , what she does and how far has she studied. And to my surprise she said she has done till class two. I asked her what made her to discontinue her studies and she said she was just not interested then. And didn't her parents disapprove of this she said, yes - they wanted her to study but she didn't want. She just liked to play around and then time passed on. She started doing dishes and then now she helps in house construction works as a worker carrying bricks and sand. When I asked her isnt it tiring because she seemed thin enough but strong. When asked, she said she is used to it now.

Her father worked at a bidi factory where he used to pack the bidis snd her mother worked as a maid. But her father no longer worked.

While almost every household has a maid to do the dishes or a cook to help in the kitchen. Many such stories one may come across amongst each of such workers. And each one may have one's own story to share but its worth it to encourage them in their basic studies, so that the minimum that they can do is read write and sign. Who knows some would do the very best and come out with flying colours. In this age where Beti bachao beti padhao ( Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter ) is a campaign by the government. Wish such a campaign had come a couple of decades earlier so that, more and more girls would have been educated. Educating a girl is said educating the whole family.