Well-Known Social Development Organisation’s Recognised Methodology Now Accessible to More Women in Remote Villages under TARA Akshar Initiative
INDIACSR Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Development Alternatives (DA), the pioneer social enterprise focusing on sustainable development the leader in sustainable development solutions commemorated International Women’s Day by introducing its TARA Akshar+ Literacy and Numeracy Programme for women in rural and semi-urban areas to the districts of Sant Ravidas Nagar and Mirzapur.
Aimed at helping illiterate people to learn to read, write and do simple arithmetic in an extraordinarily short time, the TARA Akshar+ Programme incorporates use of advanced learning and memory techniques combined with IT tools to teach basic literacy like how to read a newspaper, write a letter and do simple calculations with up to 3-digit numbers – all in a schedule of classes well under two months duration, with a daily class being less than two hours.
Said Col. M.S. Ahluwalia, the head of DA’s TARA Akshar Programme, “The methodology has been proven as been highly cost effective and successful, already having been tested with about 61,000 women in 300 locations across 8 states in northern India. With a duration of just 45 days, it is one of the fastest literacy programmes in the world, and utilises various modern learning techniques as well as trial and error method.” The TARA Akshar+ programme has been validated by the National Literacy Mission as an alternate ICT based solution to adult literacy and has been internationally recognised, getting an Honorable Mention in the Buckminster Fuller Challenge Award and reaching the final stage of the Stockholm Challenge Award.
Now introduced at two centres, set up in Lohdikala, Chundai Tur village of Mirzapur district and Kyochar village in Abholi block of Sant Ravidas Nagar, TARA Akshar will impart knowledge of alphabets and basic of mathematics to 170 women in a limited time of just 49 days. The centres are being operated with assistance of local organisations.
Later this month, the Programme will be extended to about 20,000 women in 175 villages of Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar and Jaunpur, with the aim of enhancing literacy among the members of womens’ self-assistance groups so that they become better equipped to lead their groups and improve the economic status of their families. This will be run with the cooperation of eight local organizations.
