They built nine new learning centres in these communities to ensure that the most ostracised Dalit children in Patna can access quality education.
In 2023, our partners spent time identifying areas where the most marginalised Dalit communities in Patna live, including the Musahar, Charmar, Maha and Paswan. With nowhere else to go, they construct their homes where they can, under road highways, on river banks next to dirty drainage water and piles of rubbish.
Community surveys showed that there were more than 800 ‘out of school’ children living in the area. Finding space for the new Learning Centres was challenging, as in some areas the only open space was filled with rubbish and sewage.
The authorities have little interest in improving conditions for these people. There are no civil services close to their homes and they are constantly hounded by threats of eviction. It is widely considered that they live on the land illegally and their homes are often described as ‘encroachments’ and regularly bulldozed with no notice.
But in spite of the challenges, nine new learning centres were constructed and teachers spent time visiting children in the area, going from house to house to encourage children to enrol at the schools.
Over 300 children began regularly attending lessons early in 2023.
Sadly, in May 2023, one local community, Nagarpur was bulldozed and destroyed by local police. People’s homes and three of our new learning centres were destroyed.
As soon as the children heard about what was happening, they ran into their learning centre to rescue what materials and artwork they could before it was destroyed. They were devastated, going to our local partners in tears.
After the area was bulldozed the children and their families worked together to construct a temporary makeshift shelter to serve as a learning centre until the school could be rebuilt.
One of the first steps when Musahar children come to the learning centres is to help them to learn how to be clean and present themselves smartly. The caste system creates a vicious cycle where those who are discriminated against are made to feel worthless and, because of this, they tend not to take care of themselves, and are consequently treated even worse by society, perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Children at the centres are valued and treated with kindness and respect, then encouraged to reflect this by improving their personal care.
Priyanka, is 7 years old and from Musahar community. She attends our new learning centre in Digha Nahar Par. She shares:
"All the families living here are very poor and our parents have no work. There is no school nearby and no one wants to come to our houses or play with us because our houses and the area are dirty. I used to wear dirty clothes and rarely washed, but my teacher encouraged me to wash daily, comb my hair, and wear clean clothes. At first, it felt strange, but now I’m a very different child. I'm happier and take pride in being clean. My friends and I enjoy studying and playing at the centre after taking care of ourselves."
