COMMON WALL OF ASPIRATIONS

A common wall wakes me up every morning. It stands high as a constant reminder of my dreams and aspirations. I glance, I starae, I peep and then sigh! My father fibs that there is nothing good for me on the other side of the wall but I believe that my happiness lies out there. It looks like a gold studded sheet standing tall, calling me out.

I belong to a poor family and my father has to work hard for feeding 4 sisters of mine. He longed for a baby boy but God bestowed him in his own unique way. He is a man of principles which are dictated by society. I don't blame him because this is what he has been seeing all over his life. He always says that I should focus on learning cooking and household chores, this is all a girl needs to know. Ultimately she is only a homemaker. I see my mother working hard every day and according to me she is the best homemaker but she is not JUST A homemaker. She consolidates our home and it is because of her undying efforts that our lives are sustainable. She makes home lively. She is also driving force of our family in terms of financial needs. She not only manages budgetary issues efficiently by cutting down expenses but also adds to monetary balance of the month by mini-tiffin delivery business. I always aspire to be as efficient as she is. She also desires to cross the boundary and send me to other side of the wall. Unfortunately, she is bound by shackles of poverty and mainly society. 

The other side of wall is my dream land of EDUCATION- a school. It belongs to other class of people. I believe it is the answer to my pain and misery but circumstances are against my wishes. Education according to me is a gateway for liberty, open-mindedness and knowledge. According to few friends of mine, "school is the temple of education" to which I don't have access. Every morning I hear voices of students trying to unveil pages of life There are many girls like me who aspire for education but are denied. Free education to all children might not be a sole solution, it needs multilevel approach including redressal of gender norms and values along with community participation.

Written by Dr Aakshi Kalra                               

Malala Yousafzai’s victory

It was with great happiness that I heard about Malala Yousafzai winning the Sakharov Prize for human rights. Malala has had a very unfortunate attack recently (it has been one year since she was shot), but she gives hope to many that are in the same situation as she is, and to the many others who wish they could do more in order to defend and fight for education.

Recently, Malala was also awarded with the Amnesty International Ambassador of Consciousness award, the Pride of Britain award and the Anna Politkovskaya award. By being an advocate of such an incredible and especial cause, Malala brings the eyes of the world to its inequality and to the suffering of vulnerable individuals. She is seen as a symbol of innocence and virtue.

Malala had her innocence violated by terrorists, but she still represents lightening in places where education is not accepted, especially for girls. She brings hope; she is like a flower that blossoms in the desert. Her eyes are deep and serene, demonstrating her faith in changes, faith that is transmitted to all of us.

Unfortunately, nearly 57 million primary school age children are out of school and more than half are girls; data also indicates that 116 million young women have been denied the opportunity to complete primary school. These people will never be able to get a real chance to improve their lives without schools and books. It makes no sense that a world capable to offer these prizes to Malala is incapable to provide education for children, especially for girls.

As Malala said in her recent speech for the UN Assembly, the Taliban and other terrorist groups are afraid of books because they know their power. Knowledge transforms lives; books are a scape to those who cannot bare their existences due to the conditions they live in.

Even though books and education have infinite power, many changes still need to be made in society regarding dignity and respect to the female gender and the access to books by girls; Malala is a living proof of that.

In honor to the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11th), it is important to raise awareness about the daily difficulties of being a female and the absurd that it is to prevent girls from going to the schools. Malala’s prize is a great start in order to provide more visibility to the cause of education as a basic human right.

We all have the hope that one day common rights will be assured to both genders, causing, thus a fairer world to everyone. Freedom of opportunities will not be only in paper, but will become a fact assured by the own structure of society.

We, from Delta, expect that in the future the world becomes more like what Malala wishes, with more education, books and equality to both genders. Malala, you give hope to us all!!!

By Gabriela Campos