Center for Life Education and Peace - Ahmedabad

CENTER FOR LIFE EDUCATION AND PEACE - AHMEDABAD

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Peace Centre and Life Education classes - Ahmedabad

Provide women with basic education and create messengers of communal harmony
add to watch list

Peace Centre and Life Education classes - Ahmedabad

Provide women with basic education and create messengers of communal harmony
add to watch list

Peace Centre and Life Education classes - Ahmedabad

Provide women with basic education and create messengers of communal harmony

Project Summary

In the Indian city of Ahmedabad, many people are illiterate. Unable to read newspapers, the vaguest rumors go unchecked and can cause strife. Ahmedabad city has a history of communal violence, marked by the violent riots of 2002.

To address the compound need of education and of an alternative approach to violence, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) has developed Life Education Peace Centers. So far there are 9 such centers in Ahmedabad (population 6 million). 35 women attend each center daily for 1 hour a day. They receive classes on reading and writing that are very practical - for example, how to read bus numbers (so they can get to work) and how to count money (so they are not cheated when given their days wages). They also play games all aimed at facilitating cultural understanding and peace. The women are taught through cultural songs, stories giving messages of peace and unity, group discussions and games. Examples include food exchanges (where each woman brings a traditional dish) or singing of different religious songs. There have been 5 or 6 minor disturbances since the 2002 riots, but never in the areas with a peace center. Whenever there is the smallest disturbance, these women come out and try and stop it, explaining that there is no point in fighting. The women are messengers of communal harmony and unity in their families and in their communities, imparting training on communal harmony, religious tolerance, concepts of equality, generosity, peace, and development.

This project funds a new center in the area of Gomtipur in Ahmedabad. The funds cover the first year of expenses for the center. Following the first year, women are asked to contribute to the upkeep of their center, and this approach has proved successful for the other centers in Ahmedabad. In the first year, as well as funding the rent, utilities and teachers salary for the center, this project funds activities designed to draw women to the center. Specifically the funds for this project will be used for teaching materials and educational games as well as the travel expenses for an exposure visit for the women to teach cross-cultural understanding.

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What?

The life education classes are conducted by Vidhya Gauris every day for 1 hour at all the centers. Various topics include:

1. Importance of Gandhian values like simplicity, truth, non-violence, unity etc.
2. Customs of different religions.
3. Religious beliefs relating to nature.
4. Stories on social values, religious values, historical incidents, fantasy, national or international personalities, real successes, etc.
5. Benefits of savings, control over unnecessary expenses, information on various banking transactions.

The women will also do group activities during the classes, teaching their own expertise to one another, which they will then use to make marketable items in a group setting. They will then sell these items and distribute the profits amongst themselves. SEWA will help with the marketing of these products. In this way, the women’s income will become stabilized and they can earn while learning.

Why?

The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), has been working with the poor, vulnerable and self-employed women of the informal economy since 1972, with the goal of achieving self-employment and self-reliance for its members. SEWA has grown out of Textile Labour Association, which grew under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore, SEWA has adopted the values and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi of simplicity, truthfulness and non-violence. Because it is the only trade union of its kind, working with women workers in the informal economy, SEWA has adopted an integrated approach. The members are not only organized, but are also able to understand the importance of savings, insurance, health care, child care, housing, etc. Today, SEWA works with 86 different trades in 4 categories. The total membership of SEWA is 1,256,944 . In Ahmedabad city there are more than 231,343 women members from different trades.

Ahmedabad city has a history of communal violence. After the 2002 riots, SEWA developed life education in the form of informal schooling as a grassroots movement for spreading peace, communal harmony, unity, and secularism among area residents in the most sensitive areas of Ahmedabad city. The project aimed at rebuilding peace, trust and communal harmony among human beings under the leadership of the women, with the goal of self-reliance. The classes help the women understand, respect and follow the concept of equality, morality and values of different communities. Moreover, it provides in-depth understanding of all religions. After taking lessons in the life education class, these women spread the message of communal harmony and unity in their families and communities. There have been real incidents where these women have stopped the possibilities of the riots in their areas.

How?

The teachers who run the life education classes are called “Vidhya Gauri”. Vidhya Gauriben are selected from among the SEWA members (local community leaders). The Vidhya Gauris conduct meetings throughout the community to raise awareness of the life education classes. They conduct 4 to 5 meetings daily. They gather the women in the community, tell them the importance of unity and peace, and ask them to come to the life education classes at the Shantipath centers. Through the area meetings, not only the women in the community, but also more and more men understand the importance of the unity and communal harmony.

The life education classes are conducted every day for 1 hour at all the centers. The women members, who come and attend the life education classes at the Shantipath centers, are called “Ekta” women (Ekta means unity). Daily 25-30 Ekta women attend the life education classes. SEWA does not differentiate these women by their castes, all are welcome. Any female member over 15 can attend the life education classes.

Through the life education classes, women will mainly be taught lessons of respecting each other, communal harmony, religions, concepts of equality, generosity, peace, development etc. through games, songs and charts. The centers celebrate festivals of different religions, and invite religious leaders to give lessons on their respective religions. This enables every woman to understand the message of every religion deeply. They are explained the importance of values like unity, truth, simplicity, non-violence etc. for peaceful co-existence. They explain the importance of trade chains that how workers from different communities are dependent on each other for the work. Therefore, they understand the importance of the people of other communities and that all share a common livelihood.

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Old Ahmedabad city is a part of Ahmedabad where mostly laborers live, the majority of whom work in the informal economy. Their economic condition is poor. Most of them are daily wage earners doing petty work; driving rickshaw, working in factories, mending shoes, dying clothes, roadside vendors selling fruits and vegetables, incense stick rollers, bidi workers, or paper pickers. 70 % to 80% are semi-literate or illiterate. They do not obtain regular salaried employment with welfare benefits. They do not have proper light, housing and sanitation facilities. There is a lack of awareness for health and cleanliness. The area is very diverse, with people of all communities such as Sarania, Nadia, Prajapati, Marwadi, Soni, Suthar, Patel, and Muslims, all following different customs and traditions.

Learn more about Ahmedabad - Gomtipur

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Life Education

Jeitunben's story

“Jeitunben, one of the Ekta women was sitting outside her house. There, some people started quarrelling and the problem seemed to be escalating. However, Jeitunben intervened and called all the Ekta women and the heads of both the communities. This group of Ekta women tried to explain things to the adversaries to no avail. Finally, these women slept on the road and said that if you want to continue fighting, you will have to walk on our bodies and go ahead. Thereafter everybody stopped fighting and vowed not to fight or encourage the communal fights in the area. When we asked Jeitunben about the whole incident and the main motivating factor behind the whole incident she said, “By attending the life education classes, I gained the inner strength and courage. We all Ekta women sought to get united. Through the life education classes, we came to know how to face the bad times by staying united. Our fear fled away.”

Sharifaben's story

I am Sharifaben Rangarej. Since years, I am involved in colouring work and casual labourer. I got married when I was a very young. I was illiterate. At that time all my four children were very young. I became widow at very young age. It was like all pain and sadness came all of a sudden when my husband died. Keeping all my pain aside I decided to live for my children. I worked hard to give education to my children. I settled my children by arranging their marriages. I am amongst old members of SEWA.
After riots a peace centre was opened in my area-Idgah. An examination was conducted for a "Vidhyagauri" (teacher). I also appeared in same test and successfully passed. After becoming Vidhyagauri, I have to frequently visit SEWA office which is near main bus station of Laldarwaja. But as I was illiterate I was unable to read the bus number. Once one person misguided me and I sit in wrong bus. Since then I decided to become literate.
In Life Education classes, I took training to become literate. I used to teach Ektabens with help of my fellow Vidhyagaruri Madhuben. I also started learning words and numbers. Now I can write my name and can sign. I am 60 years of age and I am thankful to SEWA that at this age I could read and write and now I am teaching my fellow citizens about the most needed and essential subject in my area- of peace and communal Harmony.

Direct Impact of Your Project

The direct beneficiaries are the women attending the life education classes. These "Ekta" (unity) women are generally illiterate and receive basic life education to enable them to increase their independence.

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

The purpose of the center is also to increase cross cultural understanding. The Eka women are recognized as community leaders and through the center are encouraged to become messengers of communal harmony and unity in their families and in their areas.

After attending the classes, the Ekta women spread the message in their families and neighborhood. They tell the stories, songs and morals of different religions to their husbands, children and neighbors. They also celebrate and share the message of different religious festivals and celebrations. Thus, through the Ekta women, the message of peace and cultural understanding can reach even more people in the areas. They are the real messengers in the community.