Girls in a madrasa in Murshidabad have been making comic strips on social issues that impact many of them, such as child marriage, child labour and school dropout.

The comic strips are being put up on a wall in the school and the girls speak to other students to create awareness about the issues.

The drawings by the girls of Debkunda Sk Abdur Razzak Memorial Girls High Madarsah in the Beldanga block of Murshidabad may be amateurish but the messages from the adolescents and teenagers inspire one to think.

About 30 girls from Classes V to VIII are involved in making the comic strips.

A set of drawings shows a father asking his daughter to roll bidis. But the girl, who came first in class, wants to study like her brother.

Another set shows a schoolgirl being married off. She leaves behind her family and toys.

Most of the girls, unlike their counterparts in schools in urban areas, do not learn drawing.

“Maybe one girl in a class learns drawing. Not even that in most classes. But through their drawings they bring out the social problems that they see around them,” said Nazma Parvin, a geography teacher at Debkunda Sk Abdur Razzak Memorial Girls High Madarsah.

At times, poverty-stricken families want the girls to be married off.

“We have seen girls in our school drop out because they were married underage. It is a reality for many girls,” said Tasneem Panu, 13.

“They might think that marriage can pull them out of poverty but untimely and underage marriage may lead to physical and mental problems. If they leave studies, they will never be able to become independent,” said Tasneem, a Class VII student.

Rojifa Khatun, another teenager, said: “Girls have to be empowered enough to understand what is right for them.”

Over the years the school in various ways has been trying to empower girls and their parents.

“Girls have to be aware and empowered. Once they are empowered, they would have the courage to resist or at times convince their friends to resist. When they talk to other students, the interaction spawns confidence and leadership qualities,” said headmistress Murshida Khatun.

“Our objective is not to select girls who are artists and who can paint beautiful pictures. But their drawings should be able to convey and communicate the problems
that exist.”

The school has chosen the medium of comic strips because of its appeal to students.

“Comic strips have an appeal to students. We put these up on a school board so that other students can see and think about the issues that have been depicted through the strips,” Parvin said.