Korku - An Endangered Culture
The Korku tribe, located in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, and parts of Madhya Pradesh, is an indigenous group with a population of approximately 560,000. They speak an endangered Austro-Asiatic Munda language and are known for their rich cultural heritage. The Korku people live in homes constructed with bamboo and thatched roofs and are recognized for their agriculture, particularly in farming paddy and millets. They have a unique social structure consisting of headmen and a tribal council, and they honour their ancestors with wooden pillars called Mukhiya.
However, the tribe faces several challenges, including poverty, lack of stable jobs leading to migration, malnutrition, superstition, limited access to formal education, reliance on traditional medicine, restricted land access due to conservation efforts, and the erosion of their cultural traditions and language due to modern influences. Despite these challenges, the Korku tribe is dedicated to preserving their culture while striving to overcome these obstacles.
Dostighar:
It is a community learning centre that supports children in academic and non-academic activities before (8:30-10:30 a.m) and after (5:30 to 7:00 p.m) school, for children aged 6-12 years.
The Korku tribal community faces major issues in learning due to language barriers. They have their own Korku language, but the medium of instruction in schools is Marathi, which makes it difficult for children to adapt and learn. In Dostighar, Fellow-Educators teach in the mother tongue, creating a pathway for mainstream education. The teaching in Dostighar involves the use of bilingual books, activity-based learning, storytelling, action songs, games, art and craft, as well as exposure to nearby places. Sadaya Foundation operates three Dostighar centres named Patakhu, Adhav, and Raksha (Melghat Tiger Reserve) in the Chikhaldara block of Amravati district, Maharashtra.
Health Camp and Nutritional Program:
The purpose of this health camp is to identify malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, anaemia, complete blood count, and growth and development issues in Korku tribal children. The nutritional meals will help develop children's cognitive, motor, and physical skills. It will also help children concentrate and improve their retention power in studies.
Building Better Schools:
Sadaya foundation surveyed of 36 schools, more than half of the school lacks basic infrastructure i.e., toilet, urinal, wash basin, library, digital learning, school painting and drinking water facility. In Patakhu School, during rainy season children has to change their bench due to roof seepage. Sadaya foundation completed roof seepage water proof renovation work and plan to initiated toilet and urinal repair. Half of the time children spend their time in school. It is important to create safe, enjoyable and learning environment to school.
Career Guidance:
Sadaya Foundation offers a career guidance program for Korku tribal children to help them choose a suitable course after the 10th and 12th grades. In 2024, we assisted Ms. Mamta Kasdekar and Ms. Parvati Kasdekar in securing admission to the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course. Last year (2023), Ms. Anandi Kasdekar successfully secured a place at Christian Hospital in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh. Our program aims to empower Korku tribal children to make informed decisions about their future and unlock their full potential.