THARU GIRLS SET NEW GOALS IN LIFE
BREAKING BARRIERS Many of them are attending college, but policing is their dream job
They live in thatched huts in jungles, lack basic amenities and often go to bed empty stomach. But still, they dream big. Like others, girls of the Tharu tribe also wish to don a khaki uniform and join the police force to ensure safety of girls. Their first tryst with their dream job was at the Women’s Powerline office on Monday, when these girls met women cops and inquired about their challenges and strengths during duty. A group of 30 girls of Tharu tribe from Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich, here to undergo a week-long training by WPL, also shared their ambitions with HT.
LUCKNOW: They live in thatched huts in jungles, lack all basic amenities and often go to bed on an empty stomach. But still, they dream big.
Like others, girls of the Tharu tribe also wish to don a khaki uniform and join the police force to ensure safety of girls.
Their first tryst with their dream job was at the Women’s Powerline office on Monday, when these girls met women cops and inquired about their challenges and strengths during duty.
A group of 30 girls of Tharu tribe from villages of Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich, here to undergo a week-long training by WPL, also shared their ambitions with HT. Some wish to speak fluent English and others want to master in computer science. But khaki lures them the most.
Tarawati, an undergraduate and native of Bhooda village in Kheri said, “We do not lack physical strength and can fight wild animals. We feel that our strength needs to be used in the right direction for women’s safety.”
Breaking all barriers, the girls have moved out to study and many of them are pursuing graduation now. Not to be surprised, the girls take pains to travel long distances to attend college. Some of them have even shifted to rented rooms and hostels in the nearby districts to continue their studies.
Sehbaniya of Surma village in Kheri is into the second year of her graduation. She has also played volleyball, short put and discuss throw at state level and lives in a rented accommodation to be able to attend college regularly.
“Life is tough at home as we belong to a family of farmers. But I am glad my parents never restrained me from pursuing my dreams and allowed me to continue my studies and sports,” she proudly said.
During the week-long training, the girls would be taught self-defence, personality development, spoken English, basics of computer and laws related to women’s rights. Visit to police stations, identification of the various grades of police through their uniform and filing RTI applications would also be part of the training.
Lakshmi, also a second year BA student in the group said, “We see women being beaten at home and being stalked in market places. Now that we know about the rights and laws, we will certainly take the lead in fighting against such things.”
Talking about the initiative aimed at mainstreaming of the tribal girls, Babita Singh, deputy SP at the Powerline said, “This training would target their all round development. Their weeklong stay here would aim at instilling confidence in the girls and making them more empowered than before.”
Singh said that similar groups of girls had been selected from other tribal areas who would be given skill training and would be taught basic skills and laws. The group that is currently undergoing training at the powerline would later be given skill training, she added.