Open newspapers, login Facebook, scroll the Twitter feed. There will be at least one article, one post, one tweet on women and their rights. Angry posts on rapes, child marriage seem to have become a part of our everyday reads. And then there are Khap leaders blaming chowmein for rapes, some advising child marriage being the only way to protect girls from rapes. Leaving most rural Indian girls with two career choices. Either become a housewife or a daily wage labourer or in most cases both.
But what if we told you there is something beautiful brewing for the girls in a small village of Uttar Pradesh. Paschim Gaon in Jabrella, Unnao is the home to over 50 families. It houses mostly scheduled caste families. But a team of motivated individuals with the support of the village Pradhan is telling every girl child in the village to become whatever she wants. A teacher, farmer or an engineer. And they will help her make it happen.
Helping Her Make The Third Choice, Become A Female Farmer
The Good Harvest School is the only all girls English medium school. It is accessible to three nearby villages with over 250 families. The idea of the school is simple. To help a girl explore who she wants to become as a young women without any social pressure. So much so they have developed curriculum that will connect to most students given their upbringing in an agriculture dominated environment. Between the unfair career choices of becoming housewife, daily wage labourer; there comes a third choice, to become a Female Farmer. Why not let a young girl aspire to become a farmer when she has seen her father and grandfather in field trying to generate the best produce? Why not teach her the knacks of new-age agriculture?
India's First Agricultural School With 30,000 sqft Classroom For Students To Apply And Learn
The Good Harvest School will be India’s first school where students will be exposed to intensive agricultural practices. The agri-field will give experience in preparing seed beds and know-how of the new-age agriculture. “Being in the village and working with farmers for almost three years, we understand why farmers fail to have a good produce and what can be done to minimize the risk. We are working with agri-experts and Kisan Vigyan Kendra to develop an agri-based curriculum. To give our students a practical and modern knowledge of agriculture we are dedicating over 30,000 sq.ft of area. Apart from formal education, our focus will be on shaping future farmers with technical and scientific understanding.”, said Ashita Nath, founder of Good Harvest School.
Some of the facilities the school will be providing at the school are Plant Nursery, Animal Husbandry Unit, Greenhouse, demonstration farm, and a petting zoo. Students will be encouraged to take care of the environment, engage in healthy agricultural practices, protect and care for the animals around. The school opens its door this year. With their first batch of Nursery with 25 girls, the couple is a step closer to making their dream a reality. “Our focus is not to get too many students but to build a strong education system for others to follow. In the years to come we want to encourage and equip others to run similar schools in different villages.”, said Ashita when asked about her first batch of students.How can you help?
The Good Harvest School is a charitable school. In an environment where girls are constantly told what to think, here is a school teaching them how to think. This school will teach her not to be a victim of society’s choices. Just because her mother worked as a daily wage labourer, does not mean agriculture is man’s profession. She can become a Female Farmer and a brilliant one, thanks to curriculum of the Good Harvest School. No girl has to choose between being a housewife or a daily wage labourer just because of her gender.
Your contribution can bring one girl of Pashim Gaon to The Good Harvest School. Contribute now.
