Opening Minds through Volunteering Abroad

Mark Twain’s words are as true now as they were then, and few experiences are as valuable to young minds as the opportunity to travel halfway around the world and immerse themselves in a week long, hands on, program in rural Indian schools.  Through their affiliation with Educate Girls Globally (EGG), the Archer School for Girls in Brentwood, California, has given two sets of girls on two separate trips exactly this opportunity.  Below are two reflections by girls on their most recent trip in November, 2006:

“On my way to India I began to think about teaching the girls in Takhatgarh and how they would react to us. The thought of teaching, for me, is scary, but teaching girls of a different culture and who don't speak English (other than "Hi, how are you?") is even scarier for me. However, when I arrived at the school, my fears went right out the door. The girls' warming welcome we received gave me a comfort and a push that said, ‘You can do this.’ “Each day as we taught the girls and they taught us, I began realizing more and more how much we should appreciate our own education. These girls are getting a chance to start over and become educated and they appreciate it so much. Whereas we say we don't like school and complain about it constantly. Instead we should be grateful that we have the chance to be taught everyday and go to school.” “This trip has been the most amazing experience of my life. As a group (both the girls from the school and our Archer group) we were able to connect with each other, whether we spoke the same language or not. That in itself is rare, but together we achieved it.”

Cody Rae Knue

Opening Minds through Volunteering Abroad is a program offered by Educate Girls Globally and their team in India to work for girls’ education in underserved schools. EGG offers an experiential learning program aimed at introducing girls in the US to challenges faced by girls in India and offers them a way to get involved and make a difference.

Students travel to India for a cross cultural exchange program that introduces them to India, its culture and to the realities of being a girl in the developing world. The program focuses on direct interactions between students to help broaden their perspective and serve as rich learning experiences.

Program Description

The program is a two week trip to India including travel to various Indian cities and volunteer placement on EGG project sites. Students have the opportunity to get hands-on experience working with girls in schools and making a difference in the lives of village girls.

Details of the trip:

Day 1: Arrival in New Delhi: Orientation to India, its culture, health and safety issues.

Day 2: Tour to the historical sights of around Delhi and an overview of Indian history. Afternoon and evening free.

Day 3: Travel to Agra to see the Taj Mahal

Day 4: Travel from Agra to Jaipur and sightseeing in Jaipur

Day 5: Leave for Takhatgargh for EGG project site

Day 6 to 11: Work with EGG project staff in local government schools. These days will include one-on-one meetings with girls in their school environment and activities structured to facilitate a cultural exchange. The visiting students will also be asked to contribute by teaching English, photography and other skills to their Indian counterparts. The Indian girls will in turn teach them local traditional skills such as henna application, beading and craft making.

Day 12: Return to Delhi for onward flight to the US

Eligibility

No prior teaching experience or other training required. This program is open to all levels of students who want to volunteer and learn about India. Participants must be easygoing and flexible. They must enjoy working with children and be open to the challenges of living and traveling in the developing world. Volunteers must be open-minded, willing to take initiative to contribute and to learn from their environment and be respectful to their surroundings.

Orientation

An EGG representative will meet the group on arrival at New Delhi International Airport. EGG will arrange all intercity transportation, accommodations, meals and provide orientation on issues around diet, safety, transport, currency conversion, communication, travel, norms and culture. Our staff will hold daily meetings to monitor and evaluate the program and will provide 24-hour emergency support.

Accommodation: (Shared basis)

Accommodation is provided in clean, budget hotels with air conditioned rooms. The food provided in the program is traditional Indian vegetarian cuisine.

Communication

The group will be assigned several mobile phones (with free unlimited incoming calls) for the duration of the program. All-important phone numbers will have been pre-programmed along with a limited amount of airtime for emergencies. This will help parents, teachers and coordinators stay in contact with the students at all times.

Program Cost

The cost of the program is $4,900 for 2 weeks and includes the following services:

The cost will NOT include:

Trip Dates

Email info@educategirls.org for 2007 trip dates.