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I Elina Munda from Chalouni tea garden, Jalpaiguri district humbly request you to listen to my story and if possible help me in pursuing M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship from Madras School of Social Work, Madras University, Chennai. My parents are daily wage workers in Chalouni tea garden earning INR 201 per day, it amounts monthly family income of INR 5000/ per month. I have an elder brother and a younger sister. With the said income it becomes difficult to manage the household expenses of a family of 5 member and to financially support university education.
My journey to university education has had its own share of challenges. I completed my schooling from public school in Matelli block. At home we speak in Sadri and Mundari, in school we had to learn a diku language - Hindi. The school curriculum did not reflect my community’s language, culture, and stories. In school we were 300 students in one classroom with just one teacher. Also, the high school is 8 km away from my village with no public bus, and we had to walk.
After school, I completed graduation from Parimal Mitra Smriti Mahavidyalay, Mal. In college the medium of instruction was Nepali and Bengali, I had to learn yet another diku language. There was no regular classes and we had to write the exam in Nepali. With many challenges I completed my B.A. While pursuing graduation I got involved with Prayatn: Striving for Social Justice. Prayatn is a collective of Adivasi youth in Dooars engaging with local development, and as a collective we support each other in our journey of formal education. Through Prayatn I learnt about various opportunities of university education. The collective supported me in preparing for entrance exam and interview for various universities. In 2017 I got selected for M.A program at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati. Due to financial concerns at home I had to opt out of formal education.
I continued to engage with Prayatn and hope to complete masters degree. In 2021 I got selected for M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship at Madras School of Social Work, Chennai. The economic system in tea gardens (controlled by the tea companies) makes sure that the Adivasi workers’ families live in abject poverty; the poor education infrastructure helps in sustaining the vicious cycle. I hope to break this cycle for myself and my community. I believe that Social Entrepreneurship will help me in my journey of social justice.
I am in my 2nd semester and I am loving the course. The structural marginalisation has historically limited my family from supporting my university education financially, being mindful of this the university has arranged for scholarship covering academic cost (excluding hostel fees). I am required to pay hostel fees of INR 128800 (53300 + 75500) for two years.
I humbly request you to help me pay hostel fees of INR 128800/- required for me to be able to continue my studies. No amount is small and your help means a lot.
My journey to university education has had its own share of challenges. I completed my schooling from public school in Matelli block. At home we speak in Sadri and Mundari, in school we had to learn a diku language - Hindi. The school curriculum did not reflect my community’s language, culture, and stories. In school we were 300 students in one classroom with just one teacher. Also, the high school is 8 km away from my village with no public bus, and we had to walk.
After school, I completed graduation from Parimal Mitra Smriti Mahavidyalay, Mal. In college the medium of instruction was Nepali and Bengali, I had to learn yet another diku language. There was no regular classes and we had to write the exam in Nepali. With many challenges I completed my B.A. While pursuing graduation I got involved with Prayatn: Striving for Social Justice. Prayatn is a collective of Adivasi youth in Dooars engaging with local development, and as a collective we support each other in our journey of formal education. Through Prayatn I learnt about various opportunities of university education. The collective supported me in preparing for entrance exam and interview for various universities. In 2017 I got selected for M.A program at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati. Due to financial concerns at home I had to opt out of formal education.
I continued to engage with Prayatn and hope to complete masters degree. In 2021 I got selected for M.A. in Social Entrepreneurship at Madras School of Social Work, Chennai. The economic system in tea gardens (controlled by the tea companies) makes sure that the Adivasi workers’ families live in abject poverty; the poor education infrastructure helps in sustaining the vicious cycle. I hope to break this cycle for myself and my community. I believe that Social Entrepreneurship will help me in my journey of social justice.
I am in my 2nd semester and I am loving the course. The structural marginalisation has historically limited my family from supporting my university education financially, being mindful of this the university has arranged for scholarship covering academic cost (excluding hostel fees). I am required to pay hostel fees of INR 128800 (53300 + 75500) for two years.
I humbly request you to help me pay hostel fees of INR 128800/- required for me to be able to continue my studies. No amount is small and your help means a lot.
Hul Johar!
