Empowerment of Dalits in India

Pooja, our former student at St. Patrick's Academy from 2008-2012 has become an Aeronautical Engineer in 2022. A great milestone both for her and St. Pat. Her mom became a widow when Pooja was a baby and joined our 'Widows Empowerment Group'. Her story is a great inspiration of how education can change our lives to achieve equality and dignity as Dr. Ambedkar dreamt. Thanks for all friends and families of Dalit Solidarity for this moment. We congratulate Pooja, her mom and school staff for making an history. We wish and pray for your great success in the coming years. Here is what Pooja just wrote to us.

"My name is Pooja and I am from odiyathur. I have my mother and a younger brother. My father passed away when I was one and a half years old and my brother was two months in my mother's womb. When I competed my fifth grade, I got to know from some neighbour about St.Patrick's school and their sponsorships to help kids from rural areas and make them study.

Then, I attended three days camp. I liked the infrastructure very much. The teachers were very friendly and I felt more like my home. After three days I got selected for the program.

So, they gave me a one year English language program, which included computer skills, sports, extra curricular activities. They also gave importance for my extra talents like singing, dancing, etc... That was very useful to me. They also brought volunteers from foreign countries which was very useful to practice my English language skills by interacting with them and getting to know their culture etc....

Then, they got me admitted in Sixth grade in a English taught program at St.Mary's matriculation school, Vikravandi.  I have never thought that I would have a life like that.

Now I'm successfully graduated as a Bachelor in Aeronautical Engineering from M.A.M School of Engineering, Trichy. I got selected in Reliance Telecommunications at Chennai for the post of Telecaller Executive. Even though it is not related to my studies, the HR selected me for my fluent communication skill. I am very grateful to Rev. Father Benjamin Chinnaparaj for giving me the opportunity to be a part of his program. I would also like to thank Rev. Father Devasagayaraj and each and every faculty members who helped me. Thank you!"

While sectors of the nation's economy grow and flourish, millions of people are left behind without access to development and opportunity. Caste-based discrimination continues to grow and equality is just a dream. Education is the key to providing children with the knowledge, and skills to earn a living leading to a healthier, more productive life.

We visited the gypsy colony near Tindivanam last month, nearly 100 families segregated from the mainstream, pretty isolated, living very simple lives under thatched roofs with basic necessities, quite happily. They were happy to welcome us as they normally do not get any visitors from outside of their own network.

We spent some time with them and shared their experience of our support for their borewells that really saved a couple of miles every day to fetch water from their neighbours. The young girls who just finished schooling are interested in tailoring and live up to their present-day needs.

Dalit Solidarity has a Mission Outreach for the children of human laundries who are known as Dhobies, people who are dalits among dalits, who are traditionally delgated to wash the dirty clothes of others in a village.

For centuries, they have been abused, exploited and humiliated as cheap human machines to do people's laundry with little compensation of leftover food and grains. They never had a life of dignity and respect.

Their children had no opportunities to attend the schools as they were forced to follow up their parents' job. Education is the key to bring these children back to the main stream of the society. We distributed school supplies like school bags, notebooks, etc. for 60 children.