Society
is affected by many diseases. Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, discrimination
and atrocities against women are the various diseases we know of. But the root
cause of all this suffering is illiteracy. A literate person has the capability
and understanding to procure a job and stay away from poverty. He also learns
the value of a woman and treats her with respect. Discrimination and economic barriers
are no longer considered among the educated. Thus, it is evident in a growing
and a prosperous country to be literate and educated.
We find
most of the illiterate people having a weak financial background. Poverty and
illiteracy are both intertwined. It is amazing to know that poverty makes
people do the unimaginable. Poverty stricken families force or coax their
children into manual work to provide for the families. This does not give an
opportunity for the child to become literate or educated. He/she turn towards newspaper
distribution, rag picking or such odd jobs which ruin their life. Later in
his/her life he fails to gain proper employment. He then finds it difficult to
procure food and clothing for his family and suffers from starvation. Such is
the vicious cycle that mostly envelops around the life of the poor and
illiterate.
The
second most important consequence of illiteracy is the fact that illiterate
people are enclosed within their own world. They do not understand that the
world outside is falling apart. With less knowledge about the growing
population, families multiply faster by having more than three children. Women
in such societies also have very restricted freedom and usually have to face
many atrocities by their husbands or parents. These atrocities could have been
avoided if the woman was independent with an economically stable job.
Various
government plans as well as NGO’s have helped try to eradicate the plague of
illiteracy. One such NGO is Mission Heal. Mission Heal is an NGO based in Delhi,
which has no political or religious background. Mission Heal organizes various
camps like free health care, donation of books and clothes as well free midday
meals for the poor. Irrespective of caste, help is given to all. Mission Heal
also takes up various child cases. Mission Heal also spreads awareness
regarding the need for education. Along with these activities, the NGO also
works towards the betterment of the nature.
Mission
Heal organizes all these activities for one reason: bringing a child closer
towards education. They want to show the child that becoming literate or having
an education is the righteous path that will lead to a better future.
Governments
have also helped toward this project. Also, people from all the strata of
society have unified for the common good of eradicating illiteracy from the
society. The RTE (Right to Education) passed by the government acknowledges
this fact. So along with the government it is necessary for us, the common man,
to step down from our family duties to help the under-privileged and the needy.
