Student Name: Sameer Agrawal – Finalist (Middle School Cohort)
Grade During 2019-2020 Academic Year: 8th grade
Hometown: Austin, TX
Literacy Is A Bridge From Misery To Hope
India is the most populous democracy in the world. The 1.3 billion people who live there reside in a variety of climates, from the snowy winterland in northern Kashmir to the tropical heat of Goa. India is home to an amazing blend of cultures, traditions, places and people. And in recent years, India has progressed significantly economically and socially. According to Deccan Herald, Prime Minister Modi has brought electricity to over 18,000 villages in India in the past 5 years. But, one large problem still facing India today is literacy. Even now, millions of people in India’s small towns and villages cannot read and write, and an education is denied to thousands of children. I believe that the only way India can continue to progress in the years to come is to ensure that each Indian is well educated and literate.
The US government already supports many efforts towards literacy in various countries, such as the Vamos Ler! program in Mozambique. Programs such as this have done much towards supporting literacy in these nations, and I believe that if America sponsors such an effort in India as well, India’s literacy rate would increase drastically. One way the common people of America can help support literacy in India is by donating books towards a book drive. I myself once hosted a drive for toys and books to donate to children in foster homes, and within just weeks I received enough items to make several dozen care packages for these children! I was amazed by people’s willingness to contribute to a cause. A book drive towards Indian literacy would certainly raise many books and would be a large step towards universal literacy in India. Another way Americans can help support Indian literacy and education is by contributing a small donation towards this cause. According to the Centre for Civil Society, it takes about 2 million rupees to start an elementary school in India, which amounts to just over 26,000 US dollars. A community with people who are willing to make change in the world around them could easily raise this money. By instituting many such schools in the areas where they are needed most, we will be able to help educate millions.
Although I have not yet come across any work supporting literacy programs in India, I have volunteered with local literacy programs in Austin such as BookSpring, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children learn to read. I have helped sort and deliver books, and I have also served as an “advocate” in Barnes and Noble to help convince people to donate books. I myself enjoy reading, as it helps me slip into a new world and calms me if I am stressed. My love for books encourages me to try and help others experience the same magical feeling that I do while reading and this inspires me to help support literacy programs.
Writing this essay has helped me imagine new ways in which I can give back to my world. My research on various civil issues worldwide and the efforts to solve them inspired me to further help change my community, and literacy is a great cause for me to support as it is something I believe in. Supporting literacy programs in India would give millions of people the opportunity to learn about and explore the world around them. After all, as writer Dr Seuss once said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”