![Melle Brinkman and his family with teacher Asha [L to R] Melle Brinkman, Nino Max Willem (son) - Asha (teacher) Yuna Bile (duaghter) Mirijke (wife) 203](https://sindhcourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Melle-Brinkman-and-his-family-with-teacher-Asha-L-to-R-Melle-Brinkman-Nino-Max-Willem-son-Asha-teacher-Yuna-Bile-duagher-Mirijke-wife-203.jpg "Melle Brinkman and his family with teacher Asha [L to R] Melle Brinkman, Nino Max Willem (son) - Asha (teacher) Yuna Bile (duagher) Mirijke (wife) 203")
Asha, living in a small village Sadhuras nestled near hills of Karoonjhar Mountain, runs a school opened in 2003 to impart free education to the girls
Zaffar Junejo
Whenever I encounter individuals who have shaped their surroundings through a simple effort, two books immediately come to my mind. Interestingly, both books share the title ‘The Power of One.’ One is a novel authored by Bryce Courtenay, published in 1989. It is set in South Africa and depicts the decades of the 1930s and 1940s, where an English boy shapes his own destiny. The other book, also titled ‘The Power of One,’ with the subtitle ‘Authentic Leadership in Turbulent Times,’ is a non-fiction work written by Dr. Shariff Abdullah and published in 1998. This book supports societal change, citing numerous examples of individuals who took small steps or made spontaneous decisions that left their footprints on well-traveled paths. The author mentions figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the tank man of Tiananmen Square, who halted advancing tanks and became an iconic symbol.
The present story also shares a similar title, but its subtitle focuses on the story of Asha. As you read further, you will see that it is neither a work of fiction nor a profile of towering personalities like Gandhi. It is also not a tale of a brave action like the tank man of China. These historical characters, portrayed by Sharif Abdullah, demonstrate how their actions shaped history. Instead, this is the story of a Parkari girl named Asha. Simply put, it is a tale of dedication and determination. However, before delving into the details, it is important to clarify that each segment of the population in the Thar Desert, including the Bheel, Meghwar, and Kolhi communities, has its own limitations and spaces in which they socially interact or advance to new avenues.
Encouragingly, the story of Asha doesn’t need an old opening phrase like ‘once upon a time.’ On the contrary it could be told with words like, ‘in recent times.’ Thus, I start her story with an expression of a similar meaning. Here it goes: In present times, a girl named Asha lives in small village Sadhuras that nestled near hills of Karoonjhar, Nagarparkar. From a young age, she knew she was different. She constantly found herself battling against poverty and ignorance, but she always pushed her limits, left her comfort zone, and set new standards in leadership. Asha’s struggle began with educating girls from neighboring villages. I had the opportunity to meet her in her village, where she told me that despite her own academic struggles, she had an unwavering determination to educate the girls in the surrounding area. With a strong mindset, she opened a school in a deserted government building adjacent to her village. Afterwards, she visited hamlets (called Dhanis in Parkari and Dhatki languages) and encouraged young girls to join the school. Through word of mouth, her school gained popularity, and soon girls started coming in, all eager to learn. When I asked about the initial challenges she faced, she mentioned problems with furniture and notebooks. However, she learned that primary classes could even be started under a tree, and a piece of land could serve as a blackboard and twig could become a chalk to draw letter on a ground. She confidently stated that she never avoided problems; instead, she solved them through alternative means. She cheerfully shared that the school started with forty students and now number classes as well as students is expanding.
Asha’s struggle gained recognition, and she became a beacon of hope for others who felt trapped in their own struggles
One striking feature of her struggle is volunteerism. She emphasized that her school was free, and none of the students were charged. She paused for a moment and continued, saying that perhaps her altruistic nature or philanthropic attitude compelled her to serve as a volunteer. The school was started in the middle of 2003. Like all change-makers, Asha faced doubts about how a young girl could continue as a volunteer, but amidst the darkness, a flicker of hope emerged. One day, she saw two people coming to her school. She vaguely recalled that it was year 2004, and the visitors were Melle Brinkman from the Netherlands and Dominic Stephan from the Participatory Village Development Program (PVDP). Melle Brinkman conversed with the help of an interpreter. She still remembers that Melle was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was a fully volunteer effort—neither teacher was getting a salary, nor students were teacher’s relatives. He was also excited to know that the school was one year old. Their visit concluded on a happy note. She thought it as ordinary visit of tourists who came to see Kabso and Nagarparkar, and dropped in the school, just to satisfy their curiosity. She forgot it.
One striking feature of her struggle is volunteerism. Her school was free, and none of the students were charged
One day, Asha noticed a jeep stopping adjacent to her school. Initially, she ignored it, expecting another visitor who like others would be astonished by her volunteerism, traditional dress, and the scenic beauty of the Karoonjhar hills. But to her surprise, Dominic Stephan entered her classroom. He told her that Melle had created a foundation called the Blackboard Foundation in the Netherlands and intended to support her school by providing teachers’ salaries. Asha didn’t have a bank account or any other mechanism to receive funds, so it was resolved that the funds would be channeled through the PVDP’s account. When I inquired how this happened, Dominic Stephan explained that Melle came to Thar as an intern from the Netherlands and started the Blackboard Foundation in 2004 after seeing an inspiring initiative of Asha. He added that Melle and his friends, being students, started to work in bars, gather their tips to raise funds for supporting Asha’s initiative. He added, over the time, the Blackboard Foundation raised enough funds to support ten schools, provide salaries for ten teachers and ten helpers, and roughly supported four hundred and fifty children. The foundation also trained teachers, renovated schools, and provided uniforms and slates. The Blackboard Foundation continued its support until 2009, after which a German-based charity named Kindernothilfe took over.
Most satisfying aspect of her struggle is smiling, happy faces, and contented lives of her graduated girls, most of them now Teachers, Nurses, Lady Health Visitors and NGO workers
As time went on, Asha’s struggle gained recognition, and she became a beacon of hope for others who felt trapped in their own struggles. She used her platform to raise awareness about learning differences and the power of perseverance. Despite her vulnerability, through authenticity, she showed others that it was possible to overcome obstacles and forge their own paths. Asha’s struggle became an example of growth and resilience. Apart from educating young Parkari girls, she taught them that the most profound learning often emerges from the depths of personal struggle. And so, Asha’s journey continues, and serves a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul. Her story reminds that within every struggle lies the potential for triumph, and that the most profound transformations often arise from the darkest corners of our lives.
Last week, when she came to Mirpurkahs, I had the chance to meet her and ask a single question about the most satisfying aspect of her struggle. She instantly responded, “Smiling, happy faces, and contented lives of my graduated girls, most of them now are teachers, nurses, and Lady Health Visitors and NGO workers.” Her response encouraged me, and I enquired about the contribution of Melle and his foundation, I noticed a wave of joy and happiness rinse over her face. She gratefully expressed, “Melle, his family, and friends are wonderful people who helped me realize my dream.” She happily shared that last year Melle came with his wife Mirijke and their children to meet her. She described them as noble souls and wished them blessings, saying, “God bless them, may they always be as happy and fortunate as they are good. Ameen.”
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Dr. Zaffar Junejo is a Development Professional and a Research Scholar, having earned Doctorate from the Department of History University of Malaya, Malaysia. Mr. Junejo apart from scholarly contribution also writes for popular media. He could be accessed at: Email junejozi@gmail.com, Cell/WhatsApp +92 334 045 5333 Skype Zaffar.Junejo Facebook facebook.com/zaffar.junejo
