Volunteering in India with Women
Isaac is from Traverse City, Michigan and is a student of International Relations at Wheaton College in Illinois. As part of his degree he was required to gain some international experience and complete a period of internship. This was Isaac’s first time in India and his first volunteer placement abroad. “I decided to come to India because I wanted to do something extremely different,” he says of his decision. “I did a course in micro finance and was interested in the topic and wanted to work with under-privileged people. India is known as a testing ground for micro finance schemes, so I thought it was a good place to go. For me, it was very important to have hands on experience, so that’s why I chose to take up this opportunity.”
Isaac has just reached the end of his 2-month placement. Along with another Leave UR Mark volunteer, he has been documenting how the organization he’s volunteering for has made a difference in the lives of the people it supports.Together the volunteers they have been visiting slums in Bangalore and meeting and interviewing women who have created small businesses thanks to the micro finance loans they have received. The organization also offers support to these women and their families in the fields of health and education by organizing medical camps and food distribution, setting up schools and providing scholarships. The video footage the volunteers collect is edited and converted into short videos which they upload on the organization’s website. Isaac has also been busy updating and revamping the website, and helping the organization with the compilation of records and checking of databases.
Before coming to India, Isaac was mentally prepared to expect something completely different but did experience a bit of a reality check. “I tried not to have too many preconceptions and came with an open mind, ready to experience what this opportunity had to offer. But I really didn’t expect to see people living in mud huts and tin sheds at the side of the road. This has been a real eye-opener for someone coming from an affluent country. It also took some time to adjust to the small daily challenges like the traffic, negotiating auto-rickshaw fares and accepting that people often arrive late for meetings.”
The most valuable aspects of Isaac’s experience in India have been his personal interactions with people, which have been culturally enlightening. “It has been a unique experience to work with a Muslim organization which works for women’s empowerment,” he reflects. “Especially for someone like me who has always lived in a very Christian environment. People often think that Muslim women are oppressed. I’ve seen from the inside that they make their own choices like any one else.”
After he completes his degree in International Relations he would like to work abroad in a development capacity. The short time he’s spent in India will probably leave a lasting impression. “My favorite part of being in India has been the opportunity to witness humanity at all levels,” he concludes. “By visiting people in slums and seeing how they live, I’ve witnessed something so different from what I’m used to. It’s a reminder that the world is not a series of numbers. There are always people behind the figures. There are two sides to every story and the scope of the issue is larger than what it seems.”
To apply for this project, email info@leaveurmark.com
