Building Systems, Not Just Schools: Why Community Literacy in Rural India Matters to the World


 Building Systems, Not Just Schools: Why Community Literacy in Rural India Matters to the World by Lenin Raghuvanshi highlights how the Shiksha Plus initiative of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, implemented with Jan Mitra Nyas, demonstrates that sustainable education reform is built through community systems, not standalone programs. By investing in local volunteers, accountability, data-driven learning, and lifelong literacy—especially for women—the initiative advances SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 3 (Well-being), and SDG 17 (Partnerships), while aligning closely with UNESCO’s Education 2030 vision. Through human stories like that of an elderly woman learner who now reads and understands documents independently, the article underscores a critical global lesson: literacy is not symbolic but protective, restoring dignity, agency, and informed choice. Full article: https://medium.com/@lenin_75290/building-systems-not-just-schools-d8067749bb0f

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