Keep it up Kerala! For a long time, Kerala has been atop the literacy pyramid with the literacy rates being an exhilarating 93.91%. Now the state is taking another major step towards not only education but enlightenment also. Kochi is coming up with the first ever transgender school that will show the citizens of our country that just because you are different doesn’t mean you can’t have a support system.
Sahaj International School, the first residential school for transgender, will be up and running from December 30th after its inauguration. The announcement was made by transgender rights activists Vijayaraja Mallika, Maya Menon, and Faisal CK in a press meet. Naturally the activists faced much difficulties in even taking this initiative off the ground due to the taboo surrounding transgenders. But after much perseverance, the trio found space leased by a Christian organization. The school will start off with 10 transgenders who will be taught under the National Open School system. The students have been selected from the community pool which include an immigrant and a specially-abled person.
Transgender rights activist and artist Kalki Subramaniam will inaugurate the school, which, apart from the academic teaching, will also focus on skill development. The classes will be held by a group of teachers and social workers who have volunteered for this great cause. The institute will provide education and examination equivalent to Class X and XII, the activists said. Six people from the TransIndia Foundation will be heading the school. One of these is Mallika who said “The aim of Transgender School is to provide transgenders security, salvation and sustainability. In the beginning, we have a few sponsors supporting us. We are planning to seek financial help from government after proving its worthiness.”
Mallika has a post-graduate degree in social work and spear heads the project “Sanathana” which aims to bring back the transgender school dropouts to complete their education. “Even though organisations like Kochi Metro are coming forward to provide job opportunities for transgenders, the lack of qualifications is seen as a challenge among transgenders,” she reported in September 2016.
The most recent survey listed the number of rural hijras (transgenders) at more than 70,000. It is startling to know that till know there has been no specific attention given to such people. Infact in many places of our country the hijras have to pass through such narrow mindsets that they practically suffocate. Without a doubt, Sahaj is definitely a leap towards helping these people breathe freely and live independently.
