Written by Tauseef Ahmad and Sajid Raina
Kifayatullah Malik is aware of what it feels wish to be on the sting of shedding one thing treasured. As a toddler rising up in Lawaypora village in Bandipora, North Kashmir, he noticed lots of his pals drop out of college, compelled to commerce their goals for home duties and monetary burdens. He might have been one in all them — however he fought to remain in class, turning into the primary in his household to take action. Now, at 25, he’s ensuring no youngster in his group has to surrender on their training the best way so many earlier than them needed to.
By his relentless efforts, Malik has helped re-enrol greater than 700 youngsters who had dropped out of college resulting from monetary hardships. However his work goes past simply getting college students again in lecture rooms — he’s shifting mindsets, advocating for training without any consideration, not a privilege.
A private battle that sparked a motion
Malik’s journey started along with his personal struggles. Born and raised in Lawaypora, he was the primary youngster in his household to attend college. From an early age, he noticed lots of his friends abandon their training resulting from monetary struggles and home duties. Decided to make a distinction, he accomplished his grasp’s in social work from Amar Singh Faculty, Srinagar. It was throughout his faculty years that he gathered a gaggle of like-minded youth to handle the dropout disaster in tribal areas.
“It started with gathering the used textbooks from my buddy circle after which from our locality and others. Then we used to distribute them to needy college students to make sure that no scholar could be left behind from getting primary training,” he recollects.”A lot of the college students throw the books away after getting promoted to the following class or studying them, however somebody needs to have that e book.”
As we speak, Malik isn’t working alone. He now leads a crew of over 10 volunteers, who assist him in his mission to convey tribal youngsters again to high school.
Bringing dropouts again to high school
One of many college students who benefited from Malik’s efforts is Sumaiya, a younger lady from the tribal group. “In our group, most ladies drop out resulting from a scarcity of assets. I used to be one in all them. I needed to depart college in Class 5 as a result of my dad and mom couldn’t afford to teach each my brother and me. It was heartbreaking to observe my goals slip away, understanding that training was a privilege I couldn’t afford,” she shares.
For 2 years, Sumaiya remained out of college, her aspirations placed on maintain. Then she met Malik, who not solely supplied her with books and stationery but additionally counselled her dad and mom on the significance of training. Due to his intervention, she re-enrolled final yr. As we speak, she goals of turning into a trainer, decided to help ladies like her who’re compelled to sacrifice their training.
The issue of college dropouts is widespread. In line with official knowledge from the Jammu and Kashmir authorities, the tribal group and different marginalised communities have the best college dropout price on the secondary degree, with 14.17%. This consists of 19.05% amongst ladies and 10.55% amongst boys.
Afshana Gul, a trainer in Uri, North Kashmir, has witnessed this harsh actuality firsthand. “Nobody needs to drop out of college, however monetary hardships drive many to take action, particularly ladies. It’s heartbreaking to see brilliant college students depart their training halfway,” she says. “As a trainer, nothing hurts you greater than seeing one in all your brilliant college students drop out halfway. A few of my greatest college students from three years in the past at the moment are at house, unable to proceed their research.”
Regardless of the challenges, Malik stays decided. “When your intentions are clear, there shall be help for you,” he says. His initiative runs fully on crowdfunding, with folks contributing small quantities — Rs 100, Rs 200, or Rs 500 monthly. “Now folks have belief in me, and these small contributions, although minimal for them, assist us enrol college students and fulfil their goals.”
“There’s no help for us from the federal government, however we do consciousness periods in tribal areas to teach folks about labour authorities schemes and their significance,” Malik says.
Past education: Empowering communities for long-term change
Past training, Malik additionally focuses on empowering tribal ladies by serving to them purchase vocational expertise via numerous authorities schemes. “Most individuals in tribal areas are unaware of the assets out there to them,” he says. “We conduct consciousness programmes and information them on how they’ll study new expertise and earn a livelihood. When dad and mom are skillful and incomes, it straight impacts the kid, as he will get help for his training.”
Sadiya, a younger lady who benefited from one such initiative, shares her expertise: “I took half within the three-month stitching work final yr after an consciousness programme in our village underneath the talent growth programme. Now I earn Rs 300-400 a day, which is sufficient for us as an alternative of doing nothing for ladies like me.”
Her village now has a 12-member self-help group, the place ladies earn a sustainable earnings with authorities help.
A imaginative and prescient for the long run
Malik’s work has not gone unnoticed. He’s a district coordinator for REACHA (Analysis and Extension Affiliation for Conservation of Horticulture and Agroforestry) as a part of the Smartpur mission, which goals to bridge the digital divide in Kashmir’s distant areas. “To Kifayatullah, REACHA isn’t just an organisation however a mission to the touch the remotest corners of the nation, enlightening folks with training, IT literacy, and sustainable initiatives,” he says.
However his ambitions don’t cease right here. Malik’s long-term mission is to bridge the digital literacy hole and guarantee primary training for all tribal youngsters who left their training halfway due to poverty. He plans to increase his efforts past North Kashmir and maintain his initiatives via NGO partnerships.
“Each youngster, irrespective of the place they arrive from, deserves an opportunity to study. I’ll preserve working till each tribal youngster has entry to training,” Malik shares.
His dedication has earned him a number of prestigious accolades, together with:
- The President’s Award for Nationwide Social Service (NSS) (2021-22)—the first-ever recipient from the College of Kashmir.
- The Greatest Forest Pal Award by the Jammu and Kashmir Social Forestry Division for his large-scale tree-planting initiatives.
- The Ambassador of Humanity Award (2024).
- The International Human Rights Award.
These honours underscore his far-reaching affect—not simply in training but additionally in environmental conservation and humanitarian efforts.
For Malik, the journey is way from over. He continues to work tirelessly, guaranteeing that no youngster in his group is denied the correct to training. “For those who change one life, you create a ripple impact. As we speak, we’re re-enrolling college students. Tomorrow, they would be the ones advocating for training in their very own households,” he says with conviction.
By his imaginative and prescient and persistence, Malik is proving that grassroots efforts can drive significant change. Within the distant villages of North Kashmir, the place entry to training was as soon as unsure, alternatives at the moment are being reclaimed.
Edited by Khushi Arora; All photographs courtesy Tauseef Ahmad and Sajid Raina
