Girls’ Nonviolent Action for Education:

“A literate daughter makes a society literate…”

A group of primary school girls waged a unique nonviolent campaign for a school for girls, under the guidance of their teacher-mentor Shri Dilip Jha, Swaraj Peeth’s Gandhi Shanti Sainik (peace brigade) and lead by Neha Kumari,  Coordinator of Hind Swaraj Kishori Samuh.

Neha, Priyanka, Varsha, Seema, Tunny, Anuradha, Renu, Chandani, Sadhana, Pushpa, Pinki, Reshma and Sapna, all between 12 and 17 who live in a          very simple Bihar villages of Araria District on the India-Nepal border took initiative of meeting, convincing and organizing 631 girls of their age, their parents and citizen from six neighbourhood villages for a campaign for school. Girls are forced to drop out after standard 8^th because there is no school beyond 8th at a travel-safe distance.  Under the guidance and inspiration of their teacher-mentor Shri Dilip Jha, a Gandhi Shanti Sainik of Swaraj Peeth, they developed a unique nonviolent public awareness campaign, organized public meetings; undertook nonviolent demonstrations and actions during November 2012 -April 2013 to demand up-gradation of a nearby school up to standard 12^th. Dismayed officials and politicians finally relented…. Their slogan “ Koi Samsya Bada Nahi; Hara Wahi Jo Lada Nahi” “No problem is big; defeated is one who never fought…Campaign made front page head lines and stories in local media.

Enthused, the girls said: “people support good reforms, but some one has to take the initiative.” They along with their teachers and supporters continue to under take good causes for social harmony and educational awareness.