To honour the legacy of educational reformers Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh, who championed the rights of women and marginalised communities, the youth of Dhaatri organised a Vidya Yatra through the Adivasi areas of Telangana's Adilabad district.
The campaign included visits to Ashram Residential Educational Institutions and the Zilla Parishad High School, emphasising on the crucial need to teach tribal children in their mother tongue. Many students who speak their own Adivasi languages at home struggle with Telugu, the medium of instruction in schools.
Feedback from students revealed their challenges: "We struggle to read and write. Other children move ahead, but we are left behind. If lessons were taught in our language, we would also progress." Teachers echoed these concerns, noting that language barriers hinder effective teaching and learning.
Through engaging skits, the youth illustrated the significance of incorporating tribal knowledge into education. For Adivasi students, education transcends mere academic learning; it also involves upholding dignity, self-respect, and a profound connection with nature; alongside the safeguarding of their ancestral ecological knowledge.
Below: A few clips from the youth's skit