Rekha Chaudhari

Rekha Chaudhari

Rekha is an enthusiastic & dedicated 39-year-old Adivasi (tribal) woman from the Chaudhai community in Vgedchhi. While growing up, she experienced the constant discrimination faced by tribals. Adivasis, often perceived to be involved in crimes keep migrating from one place to another.
Rekha Chaudhari realized that tribal children are usually the worst affected as they miss schooling while their families keep moving. In addition, Adivasis speak different dialects, making it hard for them to fit in to mainstream society. Rekha decided to provide quality education to all Adivasi children in Tejgadh. She joined Vasant Nivasi Shala, a residential school at The Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh. For the last 7 years, Rekha has been residing at the Vasant nivasi shala, far from her husband & daughters to ensure that Adivasi children get good education. As Adivasi children come from different backgrounds, she alongwith 4 other teachers in Vasant Nivasi Shala try to teach the local language to the children to bring them all on one common platform. Rekha has combined the mother tongue education with regional language schooling pattern of the local governments. This has helped the children transition smoothly from Vasant Nivasi Shala to local government schools. Today, Vasant Nivasi Shala has fifty students and who inspire other adivasi children to join school. Rekha loves chidren, enjoys nurturing them and seeing them grow from strength to strength.
Rekha belongs to a family committed to Gandhian values and philosophy. Her father-in-law’s mother had taught Kasturba Gandhi at one time. Rekha continues the tradition.

Quote- “This is my passion. I love interacting with these kids & there is so much difference in handling each of them. I want them all to be better people.”