Mannarkad is a remote village on the outskirts of Malappuram district in Kerala, with a predominantly Muslim population. Sitting cozy in the lap of the Nilgiris, the pleated pathways winding through the houses of the village, sleepily watches its citizens go about their daily chores in a characteristic laid-back manner. Farming is the popular occupation for the men folk. The women would keep busy mostly within the four walls of the house, doing housework and taking care of the young ones. And the children are just like children anywhere – cheerfully ready to take on life in its different hues.
But the morning in Mannarkad is also witness to one house that is already awake and alert, planning for the day ahead. This is where 28 years old Shahana K.T, lives with her husband and three daughters – Hena (12 years), Sona (9 years) and Lena (4 years). Shahana belongs to an orthodox Muslim family where the women are not usually the decision makers. They are simply expected to follow what has been decided by the men folk. Her father was a bank manager. Not having the courage to speak-up, Shahana’s mother got married at the age of 10 and Shahana and her siblings have grown up listening to stories of how her mother suffered because of her early marriage.
Everyone who knew Shahana in school, remember her as a shy, reserved girl. Shahana’s mother was very keen that all her children would go to school but she could not fight the prevailing customs. So as per the customs of her family, Shahana was also married off quite early at the age of 16. Shahana had just completed her matriculation then. On her own steam, Shahana managed to pursue her studies after marriage and completed an Advance Diploma course in computer application.
Her husband established a computer centre but it was not giving good returns. To increase revenue returns, they ventured into the Kerala State IT Mission sponsored Akshaya project when it was launched in the district in 2004. Slowly business did pick up but soon Shahana’s husband organized a job for himself, left Shahana and their children in Malappuram and moved to the Gulf. The going was good for some time, but after some months, things changed.
“My Husband, returned from the Gulf and we suddenly found ourselves in severe financial loss. I had no voice in my husband’s house. My daughter was sick and, I couldn’t even tell him or the other family members to buy medicines for her”, Shahana shudders as she relives those days.
Shahana realized that she had to do something. She had heard about the Intel Learn Program being implemented in the Akshaya Centres. She attended the Intel Learn Staff training Program held at Kadavu resort in July 2004, and Shahana’s life changed for ever.
She remembers the staff training as the turning point in her life. The program helped her to come out of her shell. “At the age of 24 I learnt to talk to others. I learnt to express my views in a confident manner. It was like I was reborn”, giggles Shahana. She recollects how the training not only taught her computer skills but changed her very outlook to education. She realized that education was not only for getting degrees and jobs but one can help oneself & the community. During her training she would often think of how she can give back to her community and her surroundings.
After the training, Shahana not only stepped out of her house but she also freed herself from the unseen shackles of tradition that stop women from matching steps with their male counterparts. “I realized that I could also do something to earn money for my family, a rare thing for a woman from my background”, says Shahana. The positive attitude that the program instilled in her, encouraged her to search for opportunities to earn. She began working in the Akshaya Centre alongside her husband. She motivated her husband to also work hard to make the Centre more successful.
Nowadays, the Akshaya Centre is one of the more successful centres of the region. Shahana is responsible for organizing learner batches for the Centre.
“In this technology revolution, we must empower our children with IT skills, so unplugging the computer isn't an option at all”, she tells her peers. With her wise words, she has earned the respect of the community. “O god! Imagine the shy Shahana talking to the headmasters of neighboring schools and convincing parents to send their children for ILP”, everyone is in awe of her transformation.
During the early days, when she frequently interacted with the parents of learners, it dawned on her that in her community parents were reluctant to spare the girl child for regular education. The community still believed that girls needed to spend all their free time doing household chores. They would send the daughters to school but not encourage them to take education seriously. Often the girls would dropout after one/two years of schooling. She started advising the parents and the children on the benefits of education. “I agree that girls have to get married and also take care of the house. But if she is educated she will be respected in her in-laws house and her husband will also take her seriously. God forbid if something does not work out, an educated girl can fend for herself”, she doesn’t mince words as she advises the parents.
She also tries to inculcate a feeling of community service in her students. She encourages them to work on projects that would benefit the community. During the training sessions she guides the students to make projects such that they integrate text book knowledge with real issues surrounding them. Her efforts have not gone waste. More and more girls are enrolling for the Program and after undergoing the program they insist on continuing their education because Shahana continually motivates them during the program. She is like a friend, philosopher and guide for the learners.
“Boys get more opportunities as parents support them more when it comes to education. Therefore I focus more on girl’s education.” she says. Her main focus is to encourage more girls to her training centre. Shahana knows that the most difficult step is to convince parents to send their daughters to the training centre. Once the girls enroll, Shahana starts motivating them to take education seriously. Many parents come to the centre to ask about the different options available for educating their children. Parents say that their children now insist on going to local schools and many even want to opt for higher education. The community has accepted her as someone they can turn to for advice. Parents shyly admit that they would not have considered regular education as an attractive option for their daughters, if Shahana had not opened their eyes.
Through the acquaintance that she has with children of different ages, Shahana has come to realize the innate potential of her own children. “My children think I am a better mother now than what I was earlier”, beams Shahana. “I wanted my daughter to get an advantage over others, so I enrolled her for the Intel Learn Program”, commented Shahana on why she insisted in giving the program to her own child. “The program helped my daughter in developing technical skills. More importantly, it taught her to plan, to work with a team, evaluate pros and cons and also how to showcasing her ideas. These are skills that will serve her for a lifetime”. To encourage other girls to enroll for the program she quotes the positive changes that her daughter imbibed from the Program. Seeing the change in her daughter’s personality, other girl children are also getting inspired to convince their parents to get them enrolled for the training.
The once shy Shahana is now a role-model for many in her community. She encourages parents to send their daughters for higher education and not to get them married off before they turn 18. She gives her own example as she tells her community that even women can contribute to the family income. People approach her for career guidelines for their children and even for solving family problems. She uses technology to keep herself abreast with the latest information, which she in turn passes to her community.
“My husband now asks for my opinion while planning for the future. I plan my household things together with my husband. My stature is changed” she says gleefully. “The way people interacted with me earlier has completely changed. I can now see the respect in their eyes”, says a proud Shahana as she comes out of her house, which is aptly named as “Baithul Noor” meaning the Abode of Light.
