This is the story of 'Jeevanshalas' -- Schools of Life -- run by the Adivasi (Tribal) people's movement in the Narmada River Valley in Central India.
In the early eighties, the Indian government started to construct a series of large dams on the Narmada river. These dams threatened to destroy the Adivasi communities that lived on the river-bank by inundating large parts of the Narmada valley. To resist this, the Adivasis -- coming from some of the most neglected and interior parts of India -- formed the Narmada Bachao Andolan -- the "Save the Narmada" movement.
This struggle grew into one of the largest people's movements in India. The Andolan started to question the model of aggressive capitalist development promoted by the government, that disposed many for the benefit of a few. It also began to define and construct alternative social institutions. As part of this, the Andolan set up the Jeevanshalas.

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The state, before it moved to displace the Adivasis, had completely abdicated its responsibility towards them and provided almost no education, or any other public service, in the Narmada Valley. So, the Adivasis decided to set up their own primary schools.The idea was not only to provide Adivasi children with conventional education but also to make them politically conscious. In fact, the motto of the Jeevan Shalas is "ladhai padhai saath saath" -- we struggle and study together! The Jeevanshalas also seek to give Adivasi children a sense of their own heritage and history and provide education that is sensitive and relevant to their culture and way of life.
The Jeevanshalas are residential schools that provide education from Class 1 to Class 4. From the 2 schools that began in 1992, there are 14 schools today. Almost 5000 children have passed though the Jeevanshalas and the current enrollment stands at about 1700.
With the Andolan and urban educationists providing important solidarity, the Jeevanshalas are managed by teachers and villagers from the local community. By pooling together their scare resources the local communities are able to provide land and labour for the school buildings and food to the children who live there.
The story of the Jeevanshalas is an inspiring one for all those who dream of alternatives to the current world order.
The Jeevanshalas are a living example of how people's movements can engage in the construction of alternative social structures. This constructive activity is concomitant with struggle and so the motto of the Jeevanshalas is "ladhai padhai saath saath" (we struggle and study together).
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The Jeevanshalas teach us how tribal communities, despite being deprived and neglected by the state, can develop their own methods of teaching and syllabi. This allows communities to provide education that is locally relevant and not standardized as dictated by needs of urban capitalism.

Apart from the educational content, the Jeevanshalas are logistically managed by the local community. The communal participation that goes into this effort with villagers donating land, food or labour has also brought village communities together.

External support groups have provided important solidarity and support to the Jeevanshalas. This movement gives us an excellent example of how such support groups can interact with local communities and be supportive without being imposing.

By empowering Adivasi children and giving them a sense of their own history and culture, Jeevanshalas have also helped them interact with the outside world on more equal terms.