India has developed tremendously over the past few decades. But the country is still grappling with poverty. It is a major challenge with a rippling effect on the underprivileged- their health and nutrition, social security, and employment. Poverty is a big obstacle in the overall development and growth of the country.
Even in the 21st century, millions of people live below the poverty line in India. It has increased both in urban and rural areas, and the challenges that the people face in these areas also differ.
Lack of education and illiteracy are the most important reasons for the prevalence of widespread poverty in India. India will only holistically develop when it is prospering in all the sectors including agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and science and technology. This can happen only if the nation’s rampant problem of poverty is curbed.
The government of India has come up with various effective and strategic schemes and policies to eradicate poverty. But the government alone cannot bring the change we are expecting. Therefore, it is important that other non-governmental organizations, agencies, and organizations join hands with the government in the quest to eliminate poverty in India.
There are various ways in which the Government and the Non-Profit Organisations can together help remove poverty in India. Education is the key and most effective tool to remove poverty in India. Education helps people to learn certain skills and gain knowledge which eventually makes them capable to earn a living for themselves.
Children who receive quality education are empowered, aware and qualified. They have the knowledge and skill to be employed by any employer or open their own enterprise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “This is an era of knowledge. This is the only potent route to fight poverty. We have to review our commitment to education.”
The future of any country lies in the hands of its youth. The progress of our country depends on the development and upliftment of its children. Economic and social despair can be escaped by people who are educated and literate. It is not just the individuals who are educated but also their respective communities who reap the benefits and this, in turn, has a positive impact on the nation’s growth as a whole.
Save the Children is working to ensure that every last child in India, even those from the most marginalized communities and from the remotest corners of India get access to education. We are running programmes across India through which we identify out-of-school children and help them to take a leap by preparing them for formal education. We also conduct enrolment drives and awareness generation campaigns among children and their communities about the importance of education.
Save the Children also trains teachers and equips them with Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs) in order to make learning a more interactive, joyful, and enriching process. We work with hundreds of Anganwadi’ Centres to promote Early Childhood Education. We aim at improving the infrastructure of schools, set libraries, and provide computer literacy to children. This way we ensure a wholesome learning experience for children and they get educated and not just literate.
Nelson Mandela rightly said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. By donating to charities like Save the Children you are helping them in ensuring that all the children regardless of their caste, class, religion, gender, ethnicity, and/or race get access to education. Donate now and make a big difference and help remove poverty in India.
You can also donate online.