ARIYALUR: Ever wondered what drives forward a kid caught in the race that education has turned into, these days? It might well be the competitive, demanding aspect of it which always propels them to widen their arms and get hold of every bit of knowledge out there. While being in the process though, there is something so innate that makes them capable of, maybe yet unaware of it. It’s called privilege.
For many like the 67 Irular children in Ariyalur’s Olaiyur and Pappankulam villages, however, there is no such air hovering over their heads. Left to sweat it out in a race of unequals, they need an extra push to dive deep into the vast knowledge pool where others are soaked in. That is exactly what D Elavarasan, a 32-year-old teacher, is giving them with his classes and care.
Elavarasan, who works in a private school, has been taking evening classes to these children every day except Sundays for the last five years. Children from classes 1 to 11 attend the classes, which Elavarsan has called ‘Mahatma Gandhi Malai Nera Padippagam’. Apart from teaching them basic subject lessons, special attention is given to their skill development. They are also provided with notebooks, pens, books, school uniforms and are given a nutritious meal thrice a week.
Other than coordinating the classes, he anchors a collective called ‘Sweet Trust’, which was formed six years ago in view of the drought in the district. The group has so far planted three lakh palm seeds and one lakh other saplings around lakes, ponds, and near roadsides in the district. More than hundreds of youths and college students from various villages have joined him in the efforts for the last five years.
The man’s efforts for holding the classes daily are aided by the NGO -- Networking and Development Centre for Service Organisation (NDCSO), which gives him necessary funding. The NGO also helps students who have completed their schooling to pursue higher education. He is helped by graduates from the village who are assigned to monitor the classes.
Speaking to TNIE, Elavarasan said, “Most of the people here do not have basic education. Some do not even send their children to school but instead take them to work. We wanted to improve the lives of the Irular children.”
He said they are now going to focus on teaching Irular students across the district. Providing them with basic education will help the whole community come forward and benefit their next generations, he added.
According to the NGO’s founder J Prabhakar, the floods of 2015 were the starting point of the programme. “When the floods hit Cuddalore, the Irular community was severely affected. Even though we helped them, we found out that they were backward in education. Many students have so far benefited from this.”
V Kanagavalli, who studies in class 11 in a government higher secondary school in Keezha Kolathur, said the classes helped clear her doubts. The gratitude for having gotten a push to run in a marathon race for knowledge and better lives was palpable in her soft yet gritty response.