Who will do this Work?

Have you seen such scenes around you?

Have you ever thought of people who do this work? What is our responsibility to keep the place clean?

Why do you think people need to do this kind of work?

Our friends spoke to some staff who do cleaning jobs. Here are some of the things they told us.

 Discuss

- What kinds of work or jobs do people not want to do? Why?

- So, who does this kind of work? Why do people do this kind of work that others do not want to do?

 Imagine

- What would happen if nobody did this work? If nobody cleared the garbage lying outside your school or your house for one week, then what would happen?

Think of some ways (machines, or other things) so that people would not have to do the work they don't like to do. Draw a picture of what you thought.

Do you think that anyone has ever tried to change this situation? Yes, many people have tried. People are trying even today. But it is not easy to change this. One such person was Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji had a friend Mahadevbhai Desai. Mahadevbhai’s son Narayan also stayed with Gandhiji when he was young. This incident is from Narayan's book.

Tell

- Why did Gandhiji and his team start doing the job of cleaning. What do you think about this?

- Do you know any such people in your area who try to help others in solving their problems? Find out and discuss in the class.

- Guests at Gandhiji’s Ashram had to learn this work also. If you were one of these guests, what would you do?

- What are the toilet arrangements in your house? Where is the toilet? Inside the house, or outside? Who cleans the toilet?

- How did the man who was returning from the toilet behave with Mahadevbhai? Why did he behave like this?

- How do people generally behave with those people who clean toilets and drains? Write.

Narayan and Gandhiji discussed all this many years ago. Have things changed now?

 Tell

- Who does the cleaning in your school? What all has to be cleaned?

- Do all children like you help in this? If yes, how?

- If all do not help, why not?

- Do all children do all kinds of work?

- Do they sometimes have to miss classes to do this work?

- Do the girls and boys do the same kinds of work?

- What all work do you do at home?

- Is the work done by boys and girls, men and women the same?

- Would you like to bring some change? What kind?

 Discuss

- Do people look at different kinds of work in the same way? If not, why is this so? Why is it important to bring change?

- Gandhiji’s favourite song (bhajan) is given here. This bhajan is in Gujarati. Try to understand the meaning of these lines with the help of your elders. Think about these lines.