Trying to bring Katkari children into the mainstream of education
Manas Foundation is working with the tribal community in Karjat in Raigad district of Maharashtra. Tepachi Wadi is one of the hamlets where Katkari families, the most primitive tribe of India resides. When Manas started working here, the condition of children’s education was very poor. The children were not going to school as the parents were migrating to work in the brick kiln. Since there was no education, the children were busy all day playing games, going to the river, going hunting. The rate of child marriage is very high in this society. In all these circumstances, Manas activist Vasant Kewari started working here. Attempts were made to bring the people together through continuous meetings. From this meeting, it was learned that a boy named Sunil was dropped out of school. Vasant tried to persuade his parents and Sunil was also made prepared to take further education. Vasant went to the nearby Ashram school and requested the headmaster to admit Sunil and assured him that he would stay in the school. Through all these efforts, Sunil started going back to school and now he is studying in 12th class. He is first among his community to reach this extent of education. Vasant later tried to bring more 25 children from this community into the mainstream of education by admitting them to Ashram school. In this way, work is being done on education through Manas and efforts are being made to make the next generation better.