Francis Munda: Jharkhand Man Educates Tribal Children in Maoist Stronghold

Ranchi: Every day, 50-year-old Francis Munda sets out on foot, navigating the rugged stretches of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum district, an area once known as a Maoist stronghold, with a singular mission of bringing education to children in remote tribal villages nestled in the forest.Munda, a matriculate who worked as a daily wage worker for a significant time in his life, has since 2019 devoted himself to spreading awareness about the importance of education among forest-dwelling communities.After losing his parents when he was a toddler, Munda was raised by a relative and managed to study till Class X. Although he had the ambition to continue with higher studies, financial constraints never allowed him to do so.“That unfulfilled dream always inspired me to provide opportunities and motivated others to pursue education. In 2019, during a random visit to the tribal villages in the Saranda forest, around 15 km from my residence in Kiriburu, I saw the people living in extreme poverty, who could not fund education for their children. After talking to them, I realised that despite being 12-13 years of age, the children did not know how to read or write. It left a mark on my mind, and I decided to teach the children visiting the village. On Oct 2, 2019, I started my first class at Rangring village with 30 children. Soon, the number of students grew from 30 to around 60, and they became the first generation of learners in their families,” Munda told TOI.As word spread, many students from Rangring, Nuiyagarha and Burdabati joined Munda, raising the number to 102 in the last seven years. He helped them with initial lessons and later enrolled them in schools in Kiriburu so that they could pursue their education.“When I began this mission, most village roads were not motorable. Rangring, about 12 km from Kiriburu, can now be accessed by two-wheelers. However, villages like Nuiyagarha, 15 km away, and Burdabati, 17 km from Kiriburu, still require to travel on foot. Despite these challenges, I continue to visit these villages almost every day to raise awareness about education and improve school enrolment,” Munda said.Munda was recently awarded for his work by the Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), a Jharkhand-based solution-driven organisation working in the fields of climate and energy transition.His campaign, however, has not been without challenges. He encountered resistance from villagers and was even threatened at times for attempting to break deep-rooted social norms, including the practice of early marriage among girls.Despite facing opposition, Munda remained undeterred. Driven by the belief that education can transform lives, he continues to persuade families to prioritise schooling for their children over traditional practices that hinder progress.