a The 70-year-old grandmother of Fagne village in Maharashtra wanted to study. Struggling to read about the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji during the annual Shivaji Jayanti festival in the village, she told Yogendra Bangar, “I wish I could at least read the holy books.” This prompted Bangar, a local Zilla Parishad teacher and activist, to start a school for grandmothers called Ajibaichi Shala in Thane district. It was inaugurated on Women’s Day in 2016.
Bangar built a single room school with the funds of Motiram Dalal Trust. This trust was started by Dilip Dalal to work for the underprivileged and the elderly.
“Knowledge is of great importance in life. We started this school to develop the self-confidence of these elderly women and bring a sense of purpose in their lives,” says Bangar,
Read also: How women sugarcane workers in Maharashtra’s Beed deal with the side effects of hysterectomy
The age of the students in Ajibaichi school is between 60 and 90 years. The school has about 35 students. And the timing is flexible – sometimes classes are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and sometimes from 2 to 4 p.m.
Sheetal More, 30, is a Class 10 graduate and the only teacher in the school. She teaches women to read and write numerals, letters and rhymes in Marathi. From Monday to Saturday, the girl students wear pink colored sarees.
In the garden surrounding the school there is a tree for each student and the women are responsible for nurturing their trees from the plant stage itself.
Seventy-year-old Kantabai More says she never went to school as a child. He had four siblings – three sisters and two brothers. His father was so poor that he could only send his brothers to school. Her parents used to go to work in the fields and the three girls, including Kantabai, used to do household chores.
But it hasn’t been easy for Kantabai and her classmates to switch from daily homework to nursery rhymes and alphabets. So, Kantabai’s grandson Nitesh helped her with her studies and dropped her off at school in a rare reversal of roles.
“Earlier, when I had to go to the bank to withdraw my pension, the staff would just look at me, hold my thumb and press on the ink pad to fingerprint the documents. I was very ashamed of myself – I should at least be able to sign my name,” says Kantibai, “Now, when I go to the bank, they welcome me with folded hands and ask me to sign my name.” Offer a pen to sign. I feel proud.”
Read also: ‘Can’t let children wander’ – selfless women of Bhopal teaching slum children during lockdown
Students come one by one and draw pictures on the board. Jayati Sahai
Grandmothers agree that education has changed their lives and made their families proud of them. Older people become insignificant to many people, perhaps because they stop being productive after raising a generation. The mission of Ajibaichi School is to free these old ladies from the social stigma of illiteracy, give them a sense of pride and send the message that elders in our society need love and respect.
Jayati Saha is a freelance photographer. Thoughts are personal.