“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.
India is a country that faces a multitude of problems. Almost 500 million people do not have access to a proper toilet. 200 million people are under-nourished. 80 million people are homeless. Women and minorities such as the lower castes, LGBT community are oppressed and there is widespread corruption. Yet, the biggest problem India faces is illiteracy and a flawed education system. 280 million people in India are illiterate, which makes up one third of the world’s illiterate population. Barely 50% of children in India finish primary school. These numbers are shocking, and indicative of a problem that chokes the progress of individuals and the country as a whole.
No one in India can be denied the right to education. However, few can access education, and fewer still can access quality education. Most children only have access to government schools where classes are too big and teachers are not motivated. As a result of this, parents believe that working is more beneficial than studying for children, which has resulted in 33 million children in India being forced into child labour. Out of those who do get to go to school, over 100 million go to government schools. While a government-school education is better than no education, these children do not receive quality education and are unable to acquire the skills they need to forge their careers. Many go back to work and very few go to college.
When these children become adults, they cannot read or write and therefore cannot find a job. Without a job, they cannot afford a house. Without a job, they cannot afford food. Without a job, they cannot afford proper hygiene and sanitation. The inadequate education system is the root cause of many of the problems India faces. Providing food aid and helping fund housing for the poor will help individuals in the short-term, but in the long term, they are left helpless and reliant on charity. On the other hand, improving the education of these individuals can create long-term benefits. Instead of giving a man free food, you give him the ability to buy his own food for the rest of his lifetime. And that is what ALIG is trying to do.
No one in India can be denied the right to education. However, few can access education, and fewer still can access quality education. Most children only have access to government schools where classes are too big and teachers are not motivated. As a result of this, parents believe that working is more beneficial than studying for children, which has resulted in 33 million children in India being forced into child labour. Out of those who do get to go to school, over 100 million go to government schools. While a government-school education is better than no education, these children do not receive quality education and are unable to acquire the skills they need to forge their careers. Many go back to work and very few go to college.
When these children become adults, they cannot read or write and therefore cannot find a job. Without a job, they cannot afford a house. Without a job, they cannot afford food. Without a job, they cannot afford proper hygiene and sanitation. The inadequate education system is the root cause of many of the problems India faces. Providing food aid and helping fund housing for the poor will help individuals in the short-term, but in the long term, they are left helpless and reliant on charity. On the other hand, improving the education of these individuals can create long-term benefits. Instead of giving a man free food, you give him the ability to buy his own food for the rest of his lifetime. And that is what ALIG is trying to do.
