Faith groups empowering villagers in India through literacy and health programs

Relief organization, India Partners, has joined hands with Reaching Hands Society (RHS) to empower the people of rural India through literacy and health programs.

According to information obtained by Christian Today, children and adult literacy classes are held after people complete their day's work.

While the beginning of the class is spent on education, the latter half is spent memorizing Bible verses and learning more about the Gospel.

The faith groups have affirmed that attendance is strictly voluntary and the method of teaching is explained to everyone from the very beginning so that nobody misunderstands.

According to RHS administrator, Remo Paul, the programs have met with tremendous response and many villagers, who sometimes wish to attend only the literacy classes, have often ended up wanting to sing and learn from the Bible by the end of the day.

Explaining that the literacy project have helped to raise the literacy rate in the rural area from less than one percent to 40 percent, Paul said, "It has kind of brought a sense of self–sufficiency, and a sense of pride among the people, that they can fend for themselves and not be cheated in the local market."

The faith groups are also carrying out health care projects, coworking with the government in distribution of medicated mosquito nets for the villages.

Skits about sanitation and disease prevention are also conducted to educate the local people.