It might be hard to believe for some of us, but child marriages still exist in the rural parts of the country, and at an unimaginable scale. The major reason for this social issue to persist is the lack of awareness about adolescent age and high illiteracy rates. During my case study, I was told that a community leader in one of the remote villages in the Boipariguda block is working on reducing school dropouts by improving the educational system. I was excited because I believe education can be a true solution to many of India’s problems. However, after reaching the village, it became evident that the main cause of the increasing dropout rate is child marriage.

In the remote areas of Koraput District, specifically in the Dandabadi Gram Panchayath, there is a village called Padapadar with around 60 households. The primary issue in this village is the deeply entrenched problem of child marriage. No one in this village remains unmarried beyond the age of 17, and typically, marriages occur as early as age 15. There are two major reasons why this social problem continues to persist:  i) Parents lack awareness regarding the importance of education, adolescent health, and menstrual health; and ii) The absence of a proper education system results in high dropout rates.

The people residing in this village rely solely on agriculture and can only cultivate one crop a year due to the absence of irrigation facilities. Laba Barik, the community leader of Padapadar, mentioned that the villagers here are largely unaware of the importance of education. Laba explained, “Despite numerous meetings and campaigns, people still question the value of education. They often ask about job opportunities after receiving a formal education.” He added that the villagers have a fixed belief that agriculture is their sole source of income, and they don’t consider education to be of major importance. Furthermore, even if a child expresses interest in attending school, they often lack essential documents like a birth certificate, which have never been generated.

However, there is now a gradual shift occurring. Laba, along with CYSD staff and Anganwadi workers, is making efforts to raise awareness among the villagers regarding the importance of education. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of child marriages in the village. Additionally, parents are being educated about the negative consequences of child marriages and the legal actions associated with them. Laba expressed, “If people are turning a deaf ear to any issue, then it must be conveyed in a way that they can understand.”

“I have successfully changed the attitudes of people regarding child marriage and education. Thanks to my efforts, three girls are now attending the ‘Government Tribal Residential School,’ and five other children have started going to school after resolving their document issues. I have also initiated efforts to bring dropout students back into schools,” Laba expressed with satisfaction.

“Even though I completed my education up to 10+2, I have a strong passion for education. I want the children in this village to receive the education and, in turn, utilize their knowledge to make a livelihood,” he added, expressing his dream of transforming this village into a model community.”