A bright and young girl, Santara, belongs to the Bagariya community in Jabdinagar village. She has proved that a student at her young age can hold a position with huge responsibilities.
Her journey started as a regular child of 7 years old, whose society preferred their children to work. There were 14 members in the family with 12 children. The people were mostly laborers in the salt plant on daily or monthly wages. To gain more money and run livelihood efficiently, they wanted their children to work as well. Education was not given a priority for either a girl or a boy.
As a regular project, Manthan persuaded the people of the community to let their children have the benefits of education. It wasn’t easy to convince and change the mindset they had for ages. It went door-to-door to make people understand the importance of studies and spread their message. After a long time, it resulted in the opening of a night school in the area.
Santra and her friends joined the school with dreams in their eyes. Since 1st class, they were given education through digital platforms and taught on iPads and projector screens, which made them familiar with the new technologies rather than lagging. She took great interest in photography and coloring, while earlier she was afraid of such devices. The stories and moral values were taught in the form of stories. The pictorial methods and practical knowledge made education interesting for them. Apart from other subjects, the environment was the one she loved and cared about. She learned to take care of herself and her hygiene, which impressed her parents. She kept her surroundings clean and inspired others to do the same. Being in 4th class, from a child not aware of what alphabets and grammar were, now excels in the language and mathematical operations and implementations.
Children’s Parliament is introduced to the children to provide them with an understanding of the country’s democratic system and the election process to gain knowledge about their rights and significance. Santara was elected as the Prime Minister of the Children’s Parliament at the age of 11 through proper elections. She represented her school in the Parliament in the fourth class. Santara was selected to attend the National Inclusive Children’s Parliament Program in Delhi to represent her village and issues, not only limited to education but social too. They were made familiar with the problems related to children like child labor, child marriage, child rights, and security, etc. They gained life-changing and unforgettable experiences, which made them grow and evolve their minds. They were encouraged and congratulated by Ms.Meera Kumari (Former Lok Sabha Speaker).
Her journey, from a child deprived of resources to the one holding a respectable role in the Children’s Parliament, has inspired multiple children and people, not only of her village.
