apart from that we had to help our parents in the fields. >> fangane, population 300, is a three-hour from mumbai, and a world apart. traditional gender roles are largely maintained -- but there have been changes since the school opened. initially hostile, housabai's own son now finds the idea a positive one. >> women who can read and write do not pose a threat to us men. perhaps we will see more educated women marrying into our village. that would be great for us. >> thehe school for grandmothes charges no fees. but in return, the women sit down with their teacher in the morning to help her make bread. she finds a lot of things have improved for women in recent years. but despite the efforts being made, india remains a long way from gender equality. >> given the choice, i would have been born a man. many women are still unable to marry the one they want to -- or just go out with someone. men have a far easier time. >> the school is a small-scale local project. but sheetal more's commitment has changed the lives of housabai kedar and her fellow students. something that nobody can now