Gutsy Purulia Girls Break Barriers - That is what the title of a report in the Times of India (Kolkata, Thursday, December 31, 2009) edition read. Better I quote from that news report one of the unbelievables that I have recently (or, perhaps, ever) came across.
From survivors to crusaders. These three teenagers have already become icons for their tremendous courage to fight the wishes of their parents and defying their diktat for marriage. But little did the three soft-spoken, shy girls know that a year on, they would be helping the West Bengal government chalk out plans to eradicate child marriage in the state.
Rekha Kalindi (11), Sunita Mahato (13) and Afsana Khatun (13), who resisted their parents’ decision to get them married off, were felicitated by President Pratibha Patil… They have also been selected for the National BRavey Awards and will be travelling to Delhi…
But what makes their story different from others is that they have already formed a 35-member group in Purulia, called Child Activist Initiative. They have been moving from one village to another, counselling teenage girls on the eveils of child marriage. Last week, they attended a seminar at a city (Kolkata) hotel and spoke in detail about how to eradicate child marriage in the state.
These girls have done their district proud, which is one of the most backward districts in the country…
Since August 2007, Afsana was studying at the special school in Dhobadi set up under Natinal Child Labour Project in Purulia. Her father is a poor bidi worker and before joining school, Afsana worked as a domestic help. Her elder sister had been married off in the same age as she was in. But when she came to know that her parents had chosen the same fate for her, she refused to toe their line.
With the help of the assistant labour commissioner, Afsana managed to convince them not to marry her off. Soon, Rekha of Jhaldah’s Bororola village and Sunita of Joypur block’s Mukndopur – both from similar special schools – joined her voice of protest.
“My father had arranged a groom who was around 18 years older to me. I was not at all keen to get married so early and wanted to be self-reliant,” said Rekha. “All credit goes to my teachers at the Dhobadi school without whose efforts I could not have done what I did,” Afsana added.
When the girls were asked what their dreams were, the trio took no time in answering in a chorus: “Teacher”.
