RAMANAGARA: “I never knew how to hold a pen properly. But now I carry one wherever I go. I feel good to open the pen’s cap and sign my name. My dream is to read a book without anybody’s help one day,” says Bheeramma (60), a neo-literate from one of the villages under Neelasandra Gram Panchayat in Ramanagara district.
The library at the Neelasandra GP office has helped many unlettered women like Bheeramma not only to read and write, but also realise their dream of getting educated and even pursue higher education.
The RDPR Department has set up over 6,000 libraries in gram panchayats across the state. These libraries, which are mainly used by school and college-going students and graduates have now become learning centres for young and old unlettered women.
Puttagowramma, 65, is also a regular at this library. “I was too young when I got married. My father did not send me to school and I remained illiterate. My grandchildren go to this library and I started accompanying them. That’s when I thought I should also learn to read and write. Whenever I went to a bank or a government office, officials used to insult me saying that I am a hebbettu (illiterate). I used to give my thumb impression. But now when they ask me to give my thumb impression, I proudly tell them that I can read and write, and sign the papers given to me,’’ she says.
‘We help illiterate read and write Kannada’
Even women, who dropped out of schools for various reasons, go to this library now. They all now want to become graduates. Manjula, 44, who discontinued her studies after Class 7 and got married at a young age, is now preparing for her SSLC exam.
Uma Mahadevan, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, played a key role in setting up libraries in GPs across the state. These libraries motivate illiterate women to read and write. In turn, they motivate their children and grandchildren to go to school, she said.
There are 11 villages under Neelasandra GP and around 80 people visit this ‘Arivu Kendra’ (library) daily. “We help illiterate women read and write Kannada. Even their grandchildren assist them. Three women are now preparing for their SSLC exam. We also help them crack previous years’ question papers. We visit the houses of the aged who are keen on learning,” says Shivarudramma AR, librarian.
