教育不仅仅是读写。它是关于利用教育为他们自己的优势和利用知识为他们的成长。一个人也可以不依靠别人而过自己的生活。这不是让人们识字，识字是完全不同的教育。读写能力指的是读写能力，而教育则是找出一切背后的原因，并利用阅读写作技巧来改善他们的生活。它帮助各国经济发展，珍惜繁荣。要活得完美无瑕，教育对每个人都很重要。
今天的TED英语演讲中，演讲者告诉大家教育是如何重塑她的人生的。
-TED英语演讲-
I was eight years old.
当时我八岁。
I remember that day clearly
我还可以清楚地记得那一天，
like it happened just yesterday.
仿佛就是昨天一样。
My mother is a bidi roller.
我妈妈的工作是卷香菸。
She hand-rolls country cigarettes to sustain our family.
她以人工卷印度的国民香菸 来维持家计。
She is a hard worker
她是很辛勤工作的劳工，
and spent 10 to 12 hours every day rolling bidis.
每天要花十到十二小时卷香菸。
That particular day she came home and showed me her bidi-rolling wage book.
就在那天，她回到家， 让我看她卷香菸的薪水薄。
She asked me how much money she has earned that week.
她问我她那一周赚了多少钱。
I went through that book,
我看了那本簿子的内容，
and what caught my eyes were her thumbprints on each page.
吸引我注意的是每页上 都有她的拇指指纹。
My mother has never been to school.
我妈妈从来没有上过学。
She uses her thumbprints instead of a signature
她用她的拇指指纹来代替签名，
to keep a record of her earnings.
来记录她的收入。
On that day, for some reason,
那天，基于某种理由，
I wanted to teach her how to hold a pen and write her name.
我想要教她如何握笔 以及如何写她的名字。
She was reluctant at first.
她一开始很不情愿。
She smiled innocently and said no.
她露出天真的微笑并说「不」。
But deep down, I was sure she wanted to give it a try.
但，内心深处， 我很确定她想要一试。
With a little bit of perseverance and a lot of effort,
花了一点点的坚持和很多的努力，
we managed to write her name.
我们成功让她学会写她的名字。
Her hands were trembling, and her face was beaming with pride.
她的手在发抖，脸上尽是骄傲。
As I watched her do this,
当我看着她写名字时，
for the first time in my life,
这是我人生中第一次，
I had a priceless feeling:
我感到一种无价的感觉：
that I could be of some use to this world.
我在这个世界上能有点用途。
That feeling was very special,
那种感觉好特别，
because I am not meant to be useful.
因为照理来说我不该是有用的。
In rural India, girls are generally considered worthless.
在印度乡村， 女孩都是没有价值的。
They’re a liability or a burden.
她们是负担，是累赘。
If they are considered useful,
如果她们被认为是有用的，
it is only to cook dishes, keep the house clean
那最多也只是有用在 煮饭、打扫房子，
or raise children.
或养育孩子。
As a second daughter of my conservative Indian family,
我是一个保守印度家庭中的次女，
I was fairly clear from a very early age
我非常小的时候就已经知道，
that no one expected anything from me.
没有人会对我有任何期望。
I was conditioned to believe that the three identities that defined me --
我受到制约，相信我 被三种身分给定义——
poor village girl --
贫穷、村庄、女孩——
meant that I was to live a life of no voice and no choice.
意思就是说，我注定要过著 没有发言权、选择权的人生。
These three identities forced me to think
这三种身分迫使我去想，
that I should never have been born.
我根本不该被生下来。
Yet, I was.
但，我被生下来了。
All throughout my childhood, as I rolled bidis alongside my mother,
我的整个童年都在 我妈妈身边帮忙卷香菸，
I would wonder:
我会纳闷：
What did my future hold?
我的未来有什么？
I often asked my mother, with a lot of anxiety,
我通常会充满焦虑地问我妈妈：
Amma, will my life be different from yours?
「妈，我的人生会和你的不同吗？
Will I have a chance to choose my life?
我会有机会选择我的人生吗？
Will I go to college?'
我会上大学吗？」
And she would reply back,
她会这样回我：
Try to finish high school first.
「先试著读完高中。」
I am sure my mother did not mean to discourage me.
我相信我妈妈并没有要泄我的气。
She only wanted me to understand
她只希望我能了解，
that my dreams might be too big for a girl in my village.
就一个生在这个村庄的女孩 而言，我的梦想太大了。
When I was 13, I found the autobiography of Helen Keller.
我十三岁时，发现了 海伦·凯勒的自传。
Helen became my inspiration.
海伦成了鼓舞我的人。
I admired her indomitable spirit.
我欣赏她不屈不挠的精神。
I wanted to have a college degree like her,
我想跟她一样取得大学学位，
so I fought with my father and my relatives to be sent to college,
所以我为了要上大学的事 和我爸爸及亲戚争执，
and it worked.
结果我成功了。
During my final year of my undergraduate degree,
在我读大学的最后一年，
I desperately wanted to escape from being forced into marriage,
我非常想要逃离被迫结婚的命运，
so I applied to a fellowship program in Delhi,
所以我申请了德里的奖学金，
which is about 1,600 miles away from my village.
德里离我的村庄 大约有一千六百英里。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
In fact, I recall that the only way I could fill out the application
事实上，我记得， 我唯一能够填申请表的方式，
was during my commute to college.
就是在通勤去大学的路上填写。
I did not have access to computers,
我没有电脑可以用，
so I had to borrow a college junior’s cell phone.
我得要向一位大一学生借手机。
As a woman, I could not be seen with a cell phone,
我是女人，所以不能 让别人看到我持有手机，
so I used to huddle his phone under my shawl
我通常会把他的手机 藏在我的披巾下，
and type as slowly as possible
尽可能缓慢地打字，
to ensure that I would not be heard.
以确保不会被别人听见。
After many rounds of interviews,
经过好几回的访谈，
I got into the fellowship program with a full scholarship.
我被录取了，且拿到全额奖学金。
My father was confused, my mother was worried --
我爸爸感到很困惑， 我妈妈感到很担心——
(Applause)
（掌声）
My father was confused, my mother was worried,
我爸爸感到很困惑， 我妈妈感到很担心，
but I felt butterflies in my stomach
而我则是忐忑不安，
because I was going to step out of my village
因为我将要步出我的村庄，
for the first time
这是头一回，
to study in the national capital.
且是要去国家首都读书。
Of the 97 fellows selected that year,
当年选出的九十七位研究员中，
I was the only rural college graduate.
我是唯一一位从乡村大学毕业的。
There was no one there who looked like me or spoke like me.
那里没有人看起来跟我一样， 或说话跟我一样。
I felt alienated, intimidated and judged by many.
我觉得很孤独、害怕， 且被很多人评断。
One fellow called me 'Coconut Girl.'
有一位研究员叫我「椰子女孩」。
Can you guess why?
你们猜得到为什么吗？
Anyone?
有人要猜吗？
That’s because I applied a lot of coconut oil to my hair.
那是因为我在头发上 抹了很多椰子油。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
Another asked me where I had learned to speak English,
另一位研究员问我 是在哪里学会说英文的，
and some of my peers did not prefer to have me on their assignment teams
我有一些同侪不欢迎我 加入他们的小组写报告，
because they thought I would not be able to contribute to their discussion.
因为他们认为我不会 对他们的讨论有所贡献。
I felt that many of my peers believed that a person from rural India
我觉得，我有很多同侪都认为， 来自印度乡村的人
could not supply anything of value,
不可能提供任何有价值的东西，
yet the majority of Indian population today is rural.
尽管印度大部分的人口 都是乡村人口。
I realized that stories like mine were considered to be an exception
我了解到，像我这样的故事 其实是被视为特例，
and never the expectation.
而不是视为期望。
I believe that all of us are born into a reality that we blindly accept
我认为，我们所有人都出生在 一个大家盲目接受的现实中，
until something awakens us and a new world opens up.
直到有某件事物唤醒我们， 新的世界就此打开。
When I saw my mother’s first signature on her bidi-rolling wage book,
当我在我妈妈的卷香菸薪水薄上 看到她的第一个签名时，
when I felt the hot Delhi air against my face
当我搭了五十个小时的火车，
after a 50-hour train journey,
感到德里的热空气 拂过我的脸颊时，
when I finally felt free and let myself be,
当我终于感到自由、 能够做自己时，
I saw a glimpse of that new world I longed for,
我瞥见了我渴望的新世界，
a world where a girl like me is no longer a liability or a burden
在这个世界，像我这样的女孩 不再是个负担或累赘，
but a person of use, a person of value
而是有用的人、有价值的人，
and a person of worthiness.
可敬的人。
By the time my fellowship ended, my life had changed.
在我的研究员学程结束时， 我的人生已经改变了。
Not only had I traced my lost voice,
我不只找到了我失去的声音，
but also had a choice to make myself useful.
也有机会可以选择 让我自己变成有用的人。
I was 22.
我当时二十二岁。
I came back to my village to set up the Bodhi Tree Foundation,
我回到我的村庄， 设立了菩提树基金会，
an institution that supports rural youth
这个机构的目的是 支持乡村年轻人，
by providing them with education, life skills and opportunities.
提供他们教育、 生活技能，以及机会。
We work closely with our rural youth
我们和我们乡村的年轻人密切合作，
to change their life and to benefit our communities.
以此改变他们的人生， 让我们的社区受惠。
How do I know my institution is working?
我怎么知道我的机构是有用的？
Well, six months ago, we had a new joinee.
嗯，六个月前， 有一个新人加入我们。
Her name is Kaviarasi.
她叫做卡薇亚拉西。
I first spotted her in a local college in Tirunelveli
我最初注意到她， 是在蒂鲁内尔维利的当地大学，
during one of my training sessions.
在我的其中一堂训练课程上。
As you can see, she has a smile which you can never forget.
你们可以看见， 她的微笑让人难忘。
We guided her to get an opportunity to study at Ashoka University, Delhi.
我们引导她取得机会， 到德里的阿育王大学读书。
The best part of her story is that she is now back at Bodhi Tree as a trainer
她的故事最棒的部分就是， 她现在已经回到菩提树当培训师，
working with dedication to make a change in the lives of others like her.
想尽一份心力，帮助 像她这样的人改变人生。
Kaviarasi doesn’t want to feel like an exception.
卡薇亚拉西并不希望 觉得自己是个特例。
She wants to be of use to others in this world.
她想要让自己有用， 帮助世界上的其他人。
Recently, Kaviarasi mentored Anitha,
最近，卡薇亚拉西 在担任阿妮塔的导师，
who also comes from a remote, rural village,
阿妮塔也是来自偏远的乡村村落，
lives in a 10-foot-by-10-foot home,
住家面积只有十英尺乘十英尺，
her parents are also farm laborers.
她的父母也是农场工人。
Kaviarasi helped Anitha secure admission in a prestigious undergraduate program
卡薇亚拉西协助阿妮塔取得一个 有名望的大学学程的入学资格，
in a top university in India with a full scholarship.
那是印度的顶尖大学， 且她还拿到全额奖学金。
When Anitha’s parents were reluctant to send her that far,
阿妮塔的父母不愿意 把她送到那么远的地方，
we asked the district administration officials
于是我们请当地的行政官员
to speak to Anitha’s parents,
去跟她的父母谈谈，
and it worked.
结果成功了。
And then there is Padma.
另外还有帕玛。
Padma and I went to college together.
帕玛和我一起上大学。
She’s the first in her entire village to attend graduation.
她是她的村落里 第一个去读研究所的人。
She had been working with me at Bodhi Tree
她之前一直和我在菩提树工作，
until one day she decides to go to graduate school.
直到有一天， 她决定要去读研究所。
I asked her why.
我问她为什么。
She told me that she wanted to make sure
她告诉我，她想要确保
that she would never be a liability or a burden to anyone
她永远不会在一生中的任何时候
at any point in her life.
成为任何人的负担或累赘。
Padma, Anitha and Kaviarasi
帕玛、阿妮塔，和卡薇亚拉西
grew up in the most tough families and communities
生长在最艰困的家庭和社区中，
one could only imagine.
是我们难以想像的。
Yet the journey of finding my usefulness in this world
但，我在这个世界上 寻找我自己用途的旅程，
served them in finding their usefulness to this world.
却协助她们在这个世界上 找到了她们自己的用途。
Of course there are challenges.
当然，路上会有挑战。
I’m aware change does not happen overnight.
我很清楚改变不是一朝一夕的事。
A lot of my work involves working with families and communities
我的工作有很大一部分 是和家庭及社区合作，
to help them understand why getting an education
协助他们了解为什么取得教育
is useful for everyone.
对人人都有用处。
The quickest way to convince them is by doing.
说服他们最快的方式 就是做给他们看。
When they see their kids getting a real education,
当他们看见他们的孩子 取得真正的教育，
getting a real job, they begin to change.
找到真正的工作时， 他们便开始改变。
The best example is what happened at my home.
最好的例子就是我家的状况。
I was recently given an award in recognition of my social work
近期，我的社会福利工作 让我得到了一个奖项的肯定，
by the chief minister of my state.
由我这个邦的首席部长所颁发。
That meant I was going to be on television.
意思就是，我要上电视了。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
Everyone was hooked on to the television that morning, including my parents.
那天早上大家都等在电视机前面，包括我父母。
I would like to believe that seeing her daughter on television
我相信，我妈妈看到 自己的女儿上电视，
made my mother feel useful too.
也让她觉得自己是有用的。
Hopefully, she will stop pressuring me to get married now.
希望她现在不会再逼我结婚了。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
Finding my use has helped me to break free from the identities
寻找自己的用途，让我脱离了
society thrusts on me --
社会加在我身上的 三种身分束缚——
poor village girl.
贫穷、村庄、女孩。
Finding my use has helped me to break free from being boxed,
寻找我自己的用途， 让我摆脱了限制、
caged and bottled.
困境和束缚。
Finding my use has helped me to find my voice,
寻找我自己的用途， 让我找到了我的发言权、
my self-worth and my freedom.
我的自我价值，和我的自由。
I leave you with this thought:
留给大家一个想法：
Where do you feel useful to this world?
在这个世界上的何处， 你会觉得自己有用？
Because the answer to that question
因为这个问题的答案，
is where you will find your voice and your freedom.
就是你能够找到你的声音 和你的自由的地方。
Thank you.
谢谢。
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