A new approach for RTE campaigns??

As a volunteer of CRY, IIT Kharagpur volunteer chapter, we are undertaking some RTE (Right to Education) campaigns in the locality. But somehow these didn't seem to be going in the right direction. May be a new approach is required for this!!? :?


What method are we following till now?

• Going to villages directly, with permission from Sarpanch (For RTE)
• Interaction with the villagers directly
• giving handouts to people
  

What's wrong with the current approach?
After 3 RTE campaigns (may be too less to conclude anything, still!!), we have observed the following are the problems:

• Turnout of people is very less in some places
  
• Reluctant people; they are showing low interest at places
• hostility
• problem with the local language
• A doubt that, if at all they are learning anything from the campaign
• People doubt our intentions (Like the Sarpanch had once asked us if we were doing it just for grades; which is an obvious concern); hence will be difficult to convince them
  

An observation:

• For consumables, a suggestion from a friend/ relative generally has a stronger potential to affect our choice while buying a product, rather than a TV Ad. This is only because of our trust on the suggester.
• Now, can the same strategy be implemented in the villages?
• When a villager himself will inform the people about the advantages of education and informs them about the scholarship schemes, they will be more willing to listen to him.
• e.g, if a neighbor's daughter is going to school, having mid-day-meal and is taking advantage of the free material available, this family will also send its children to school.
  

Can this be implemented in our locality?

Yes. Some of us do think, it will.

How?

• To implement it, we'll have to sow some seeds in each of the villages/ localities.
• the "seed" will be a person, who knows the local people very well and has a good rapport, a little learned, somewhat wise and willing to help others.
• We'll have to point out such people and inform them/ feed them all the info as to how to take advantages of the facilities that the govt. is providing.
• And finally we can hope that word-of-mouth transmission of information will continually help increase their awareness.

Proposed approach (if at all we'll follow this):

• We'll contact the Sarpanch first, because he is the one who can
  
• Discuss with him the problems that we faced in the earlier campaigns.
• Ask him if there is any solution to it and ask him for suggestions
• Proposing him to inform us about such "seeds"
• We'll then educate those seeds first, will provide them with all the information that we have.
  
• >>> most importantly, motivating those seeds to get the word out into the public.
• To be in touch with the seeds and keeping track of them.
• Surveys to find out if any improvement came about by this.
  

As far as I can think of, these are the flaws:

• The "seed" might not do it without any monetary support
• Why would a seed do anything without any personal gain?
• We are expecting him to be a wise man/ learned person, who would obviously be having a better standard than the others. Hence may be he won't be that attached to the local "underprivileged" ones.

Any suggestion in this regard is highly welcome...

:)