Literacy is a tool, a facilitator, a door way to self discovery, a passage which leads to the main stream of social and economic life. It cannot directly provide employment, meet the demands of hunger, nor can it provide shelter. Literacy however can be a dynamic force if it function within in the context of a positive action programme for societal growth & improvement.
Dakshina KannadaTotal Literacy Campaign(TLC) is one among the 1st generation TLC’s in India started in 1990 and completed within one year in 1991.JST was a partner organisation of TLC and later on had taken lead role to organise 1.64 lakh neo-literates emerged from this campaign through Neo-literates Development Samithi’s started from Mandal Panchataths and its federations at taluk and district levels for collective actions and link literacy with economic improvement and need related activities.
The most effective of the activities were the monthly meetings of the neo-literate where a participatory approach was adopted to analyse problems and needs and taking up remedial measures. The monthly conventions of the neo-literates at Mandal,Taluk & District levels have been a high point of D.K continuing education programme from the beginning. These meetings used to take place between 10th to 18th of every month starting at taluk & culminating at district level. Over 1.64 lakh people have benefited from this initiative. Alongside taught to people, personality development, family development, community development, gender sensitisation and voter rights etc.
Since 1991 thousands of unknown women like Sumathi, Yashodha, Hajira, Kamala, Molly, Kathijamma, Gulabi have stepped out of the four walls to grow in stature and advance as leaders.
Madari Grama Vikasa Kendra: When the government terminated the Post Literacy programme in D.K .District, JST took the initiative to continue this programme under the title of Model Village Development Centres with the support of the Grama Panchayaths as .peoples programme, which is recognised as an innovative unique model for the empowerment of the marginalised people by the National Literacy Mission. These model village development centres are running un interrupted.
Life education & training centre: Aimed to impart life education and all trainings related to vocational skills and development for Koraga tribe and all other marginalised people, a life education training centre has been started at Mudipu during the year 2010 with the support of Rtd. Chief Justice Late D.M Chandrashekar, Mr. Bharthlal Meena, V.P Bligar, Andheri Hilfe Bonn – eV, DK Zilla Panchayath , SKDRDP and Dr. Ronald Anil Fernandies, Mr Ravindranatha Alva’. Through this centre on the request of the Zilla Pnchayath, 3,674 neo literates- specially marginalised women were trained to prepare articles of daily use such as herbal phenyl ,detergent soap and powder, herbal hair oil, liquid soap , cloth and paper bag making ,fancy items, mushroom and jasmine cultivation ,dairy etc. All the trainees who have availed training here have acknowledged that the training has given them ideas on how they can easily supplements the family income which were solely depended on beedi rolling and daily wage. 6 months duration tailoring training has been a regular programme of this centre for the last 9 years.
‘Kalika Neravu’-Education Aid: It’s a timely intervention to prevent the discontinuation of education for not been able to pay the fee, have dress and other learning materials by the children of single parents, no parents, alcoholic fathers and other marginalised families. This is the joint programme of JST and ‘Chittara Balaga’. Under this programme, members of the Chittara Balaga mobilises the funds required to help such 25 helpless children every year identified through JST.