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"Illiteracy is
the root cause of poverty and weakness in democracy." One
of the main reasons why India is trailing behind in the world
today is because of the high rate of illiteracy in the country.
In 1990, The United
Nations Organisation (UNO) declared 1990 and 1991 as the Literacy
Years. The Government of Gujarat introduced a program to make
the District of Bhavnagar totally literate in 1991. The Sanstha
joined hands and helped the Government to achieve a 100% literacy
rate in the District of Bhavnagar in Gujarat.
In 1993, the Sanstha carried out a 100 % literacy drive in the
district of Kheda in Gujarat. 1508 volunteers (970 males and 538
females) of the Sanstha fanned out conducting 842 different classes
and courses to teach men and women from all walks of life. 8,162
people learnt to read and write.
Those who became
literate in the village of Pansora voiced, "We are grateful
to the men and women volunteers of BAPS who taught us at night.
We now realize the importance of literacy in our life. Many of
us earn our livelihood through labor. We did not even know how
to count and we were often cheated. Now, thanks to this program,
we will no longer be cheated."
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