Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Kabaddi has helped girls from Chhatarpur district to resume studies after dropping out from schools. The initiative has made girls aware and confident while their parents have realised the value and need for education. About 40 dropout girls from Jaitupura and Kairavara village panchayats in Buxwaha block were drawn into campaign called Parwah. Initially, the girls in 13 to 17 years of age felt uneasy playing the game and so did their parents.
Most of them belong to Pardhi community and were reluctant to wear shorts and T-shirts while playing. Chhatarpur district in Bundelkhand region is known for its backwardness and feudal social order. It has a low sex ratio and high dropout rate of girls. The initiative was launched in January 2024 by Aawaj Sanstha, Bhopal.
The objective was to prevent girls from dropping out of school mainly due to economic constraints and unwillingness or inability of their parents to send them to schools outside their villages. The people behind the campaign, however, did not give up and persuaded girls to continue playing. Eight months down the line, 20 of them were selected in block-level trials in U-14, U-16 and U-18 categories.
Seven of them even made it to the district level and will now try to join division-level team. About 26 of them have rejoined school. They include six from Jaitupura and 20 from Kairavara. When the girls gathered to play, they were also told about how education would help them move forward in life. Social activist and kabaddi player Kaptan Singh Parmar said they won the confidence of girls’ parents.
“They allowed their daughters to go to Chhatarpur and even Bilaspur to take part in trials and tournaments,” he says. Kiran and Rukmani, both 14 years of age, are now studying in Class 7. Both the girls from Pardhi community had dropped out after Class 5, as the middle school was located six kilometers away from their village.
Their daily wage labourer parents did not have money to pay for the fare. Back in school, Kiran wanted to become a teacher and Rukmani, a doctor. “I want to teach the children of my village,” Kiran told Free Press. Both of them enjoy studying and playing. Sunita Adivasi, who has resumed studies in Class 6, wants to become a player.
