SCHOOL STUDENTS CONTINUE LITERACY DRIVE BY TEACHING ILLITERATE WOMEN IN INDIAN CAPITAL

NATURAL WITH ENGLISH AND HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 2.51

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NONE

School students continue literacy drive by teaching illiterate women in Indian capital.

Children of a school in India's capital New Delhi bring together some illiterate women to educate them and help bridge gaps between ifferent communities.

SHOWS:

NEW DELHI, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 22, 2009) (ANI-ACCESS ALL)

1. STUDENTS TEACHING WOMEN

2. TWO SCHOOL BOYS TEACHING WOMEN

3. A BOY TEACHING A WOMAN TO WRITE

4. BOY TEACHING A WOMAN

5. VARIOUS OF STUDENTS TEACHING WOMEN TO READ AND WRITE

6. A WOMAN WRITING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NISHU GUPTA, A STUDENT OF LAXMAN PUBLIC SCHOOL, SAYING: "Literacy does not have any boundaries of countries, of states or of caste or religion. It teaches us not to discriminate but to promote harmony, irrespective of where we live what we do and what society do we belong to."

8. GIRL STUDENTS TEACHING WOMEN BY PLAYING A QUIZ

9. GIRL STUDENTS

10. SCHOOL GIRLS TEACHING VIA QUIZ WITH WOMEN

11. A WOMAN

12. STUDENTS SHOWING A PICTURE AND ASKING NAME OF THE PERSON FROM THE LLITERATE WOMEN

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) MUNNI DEVI, A WOMAN BENEFICIARY OF THE PROGRAMME, SAYING: "I was an illiterate earlier, now it has been almost 15 years since I have been coming here and now I have reached at this level that I can now teach my children, I may not be able to teach English but I can easily teach Hindi to them and to the women in my community."

14. WOMEN WORKING IN KITCHEN

15. A WOMAN MAKING SOME DISH

16. ANOTHER WOMAN WORKING

17. SEVERAL WOMEN WORKING IN KITCHEN

18. STUDENTS WORKING WITH WOMEN IN KITCHEN

19. VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND STUDENTS WORKING IN KITCHEN

20. WOMEN AND STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER IN KITCHEN

21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) USHA RAM, PRINCIPAL, LAXMAN PUBLIC SCHOOL, NEW DELHI, SAYING: "They come here for vocational skills, and now some of them have started their own shops of beauty (parlour), embroidery, and we give admissions to their kid only, that's an incentive. If a mother becomes literate her child will be given a preference."

22. WOMEN STANDING IN KITCHEN

23. PRINCIPAL ADDRESSING THE WOMEN IN KITCHEN

24. WOMEN WRITING WITH COLOUR PENS ON CHART PAPER

STORY: Children of a school in India's capital New Delhi bring together some illiterate women to educate them and thus help bridge gaps between different communities.

Good education broadens not just one's mind, but also helps one to look beyond stereotypes and also stops from being prejudiced.

The perfect example of this can be seen in an initiative by students of Laxman Public School.

Attending classes is a set routine for these kids, but there is something else they have added to their daily agenda. Every day in the morning the students of this School, spare two hours to teach these women.

Under a social initiative project run by the school for the past 14 years, these women from various religious and social backgrounds have been attending classes to learn how to read and write.

Be it Hindus, Muslims or members of any other faith these children have never differentiated between these women. And for these adult students, the school is like a second home and their fellow mates, a family.

"Literacy does not have any boundaries of countries, of states or of caste or religion. It teaches us not to discriminate but to promote harmony, irrespective of where we live what we do and what society do we belong to," said Nishu Gupta a Student of Laxman Public School.

The students have not confined their teaching only to books; they have found innovative ways of imparting education and quizzing is one of them.

"I was an illiterate earlier, now it has been almost 15 years since I have been coming here and now I have reached at this level that I can now teach my children, I may not be able to teach English but I can easily teach Hindi to them and to the women in my community," said Munni Devi, a beneficiary of the programme.

Apart from learning to become a professional beautician, enhancing their stitching and embroidery skills the school also engages these women in mastering their skills in artwork. Rangoli Making - a traditional Hindu floor art, is a part of their non-formal education programme. And such is the spirit of learning that both Hindu and Muslim women participate enthusiastically in it.

Well, communal amity is further exemplified at the community kitchen of the school, where these women give something in return to the students. While preparing the meal, the students give a helping hand and learn some skills of home keeping from these married ladies.

"They come here for vocational skills, and now some of them have started their own shops of beauty (parlour), embroidery, and we give admissions to their kid only, that's an incentive. If a mother becomes literate her child will be given a preference," said Usha Ram, Principal, Laxman Public School, New Delhi.

The literacy drive showcases the importance of education in the country wherein students take time out to teach some illiterate women.

The good relations between women from different faiths are a perfect example that showcase how people in the multi-faith nation have lived in peace and harmony for ages.