Sagar Shala

(Project of the Yusuf Meherally Centre for the education of the children of migrating Fishermen in the sea coast of Kutch District, Gujarat)

A walk on the sea shore of Randh Bhandhur in the Mundra Taluka of Kutch District, Gujarat State, we come across a row of wooden poles surrounding an area of about 6’x 6’ with black torn pieces of jute rags hanging from them. Stretching along the seashore as far as your eye can see.
Till May 2010, they were homes – yes, homes of the migratory fisherfolk community who eke out a meager existence by fishing from the sea. Rarely does it cross our mind to ask how do those who fight the vagaries of the sea to bring succulent Bombay Ducks and Lobsters to our tables make a living? Who really nets the Rs.500-800 for a lobster paid by the end user? Is it really the fishermen who catch it or the middlemen who live in the large houses a little away from the seashore?
What about their children? When you try to find the answer, an interesting story unfolds and the role that the Yusuf Meherally Centre plays.
Yusuf Meherally Centre (YMC), a voluntary organization engaged in rural development, was established in 1961. It was conceived as a memorial in action for the meaningful remembrance of the freedom fighter, the Late Yusuf Meherally.
YMC’s association with Kutch dates back to its Manav Jyot Yatra for promoting communal harmony in 1993. The yatra started at Bhadreshwar in Kutch, home to the ancestors of the Late Yusuf Meherally, and ended at Tara in Raigad district, the address of one its most significant projects that contributes to rural development in the region. YMC went to Kutch again in 1997 for building contacts and working there. But a more enduring relationship with this region took root immediately after the Earthquake of January 26, 2001 which devastated lives and property. YMC decided to work in Bhadreshwar and its surrounding areas after surveying the untold misery the earthquake had left in its wake.
After the initial relief work, YMC started planning for the rehabilitation of the victims of the earthquake in Mundra Taluka. In the course of it, it made a survey of the lives of the migratory fishermen community and found out, among other things, that their children lost out on both childhood and education. The survey revealed that without educating the children, it would not be possible to bring the community into the mainstream. The parents were least interested in the education of their children, as in the scheme of things, the children had to be an active participant in their family profession.
Ultimately, YMC decided to take education to the doorstep of the community, rather than attempting to get them to the portals of education. Thus came into existence the Non Formal Classes in the worksite of fishermen in the sea shore, popularly known as Sagar Shalas. Still, the parents were required to be motivated to send their children to those sagar shalas. And convincing them of the need for educating their children took some doing.
The effort has borne fruit. In all, 569 children attended the eight Sagar Shalas run by the YMC at the work-sites of the fisherfolk during the academic year 2009-2010. Namely, Randh Bhandhur (240), Bharkoti Bhandhur (60), Garudia Bhandhur (46), Luni Bhandhur (60), Juna Bhandhur (55), Kutadi Bhandhur (40), Tragoti Bhandhur (40) – all in Mundra Taluka- and Vira Bhundhur (28) in Anjar Taluka.


YMC has received, from time to time, financial support and cooperation for this venture from Rashtra Seva Dal, Terre Des Hommes, Sarvashikshan Abhyian (Government agency), Care India, Asha Pura group, America India foundation and the Government of Gujarat.

So what happens to a child’s education when fishermen are not permitted to go into the sea during the monsoon months of June, July and August?

The children study in government schools in their respective villages from the beginning of the academic year till they return to the seashore along with their families to resume their fishing trade by August end or September beginning. Once they come to the seashore, which is the work site of their parents, they will continue their studies in the respective syllabi in the Sagar Shalas run by YMC.

In the Randh Bundhur, the writer of this report, who accompanied Dr. G.G.Parikh, Chairman, YMC, in the third week of July, saw a two-room structure constructed by YMC for running the school. Two YMC teachers man the classes. Pre-primary children will come in the first shift and other students in the second shift. In each room, there are different groups according to their respective classes to which they belonged to in the government schools in their villages. YMC sends the attendance report of the children to the respective government schools in their villages. On the strength of their attendance record at the YMC Sagar Shalas, these children are permitted to write the annual examination by their respective government schools in their villages.

So far as the children coming from far away districts are concerned, arrangements are made to allow them to give the annual examinations at a government school close to the sagar shala. Thus, the YMC has turned out to be an effective instrument to protect the education of the children of the fishermen community in eight of the aforesaid seashores.

All these fishermen are Muslims. More than 3000 children have already benefited since the inception of the project in October 2002, no mean achievement.

In the Randh Bhandhur, we also saw many pedestals sponsored by Asha Pura Charity Trust to provide Solar Light in the area.