The Story Bag… Lighting Up Young Minds in Tribal Hamlets

Author: Santosh Shinde
Community Mobilizer – Education to Empower (Sudhagad–Raigad)
Urmee Organisation | Praj Foundation (CSR Fund)

With the support of the Praj Foundation’s CSR initiative, Urmee Organisation is implementing the “Education to Empower” program across tribal and rural communities. The aim is simple yet powerful—strengthening basic literacy and numeracy, nurturing life skills, and developing children’s interest in learning through engaging activities, reading sessions, and guided practice.

As a Community Mobilizer, I get the opportunity to travel across different tribal hamlets every day and work closely with children—an experience that enriches me just as much as it helps them.

The Reality in the Hamlets

Many children in these areas attend school irregularly. Some struggle with letter recognition, some read hesitantly, a few rely only on pictures to guess the story, while others have simply never developed the habit of reading. Naturally, this affects their interest in learning.

In such circumstances, my primary responsibility is to bring the joy of learning to them—through books, stories, games, and playful activities.

A Story a Day… A Journey of Learning Together

Every day, I set out with my “story bag” filled with picture books and early-reading material.
At first, the children would keep their distance. But today, the moment I enter the hamlet, they run toward me with bright smiles and sparkling eyes.

“Which story today?”
“Can I have that book?”
“Today I will read!”

Their eagerness makes every visit special.

Sometimes I narrate stories aloud, and sometimes the children take the lead. They look at pictures and guess the plot, identify new words, and complete stories together—each child adding a line as the circle of little storytellers grows. Word games, ball games, “guess the picture,” and other playful activities have become their favourites.

These simple engagements have steadily improved their:

• • • Letter recognition
    • Vocabulary
    • Reading fluency
    • Comprehension
    • Imagination

The Change in Children – My Biggest Reward

Over the past few months, schools have also been conducting TLM-based activities for literacy, and the impact is evident.

• • • • Many children now for books on their own
      • Their reading hesitation has reduced noticeably
      • Some have begun attending school regularly again
      • They now understand the moral of a story with clarity
      • Most importantly,their faces light up with the joy of learning

A few children told me that it was the first time they had ever held a book. The confidence I saw in their eyes at that moment is something I will cherish forever.

Challenges… and Our Continued Efforts

The journey is meaningful, but not without obstacles.

• • • • Many tribal hamlets are remote, hilly, and hard to reach
      • Several children shoulder responsibilities like housework, farm work, or caring for siblings
      • Some parents do not prioritise education

To overcome these challenges, 

We conduct home visits, organise parent meetings to understand each child’s learning difficulties and plan activities accordingly. We try to create an environment where children feel excited—not fearful—about learning. The process may be slow, but the change is real and it is happening.

A Small Beginning… A Significant Change

Seeing children in remote tribal hamlets develop a love for reading through simple tools like stories, books, and games is incredibly fulfilling. The “Education to Empower” initiative is planting seeds of curiosity, confidence, and hope in their minds—seeds that will shape a brighter future.

My heartfelt gratitude to Urmee Organisation and Praj Foundation for giving me the opportunity to be part of this transformative work. I will continue striving to open the door of education to many more children in the coming days.