Action India – Wellesley in India (New Delhi, India) November 10, 2008
Posted by cwslibrary in Hindi, India, Juniors, New Delhi, Summer 2009, Wellesley in India, development, language skillls, law, nonprofit, sophomores, women.trackback
Founded in 1976, Action India, based in New Delhi has worked for thirty years to empower women, adolescents, and youth in Delhi’s urban slums and rural villages to make change in their communities through education, awareness, and collective action. Action India’s feminist approach has evolved through interaction with grassroots women in Delhi’s “resettlement colonies.” Action India staff work with these communities to develop knowledge about reproductive health, nutrition, women’s legal rights, and conflict resolution through the dissemination of information and trainings. Additionally, they organize grassroots groups to campaign for women’s rights, and conduct policy-level advocacy to promote national and international laws that protect the rights of women, youth, and children.
Internship Description:
The intern at Action India will be a combined position of office and fieldwork. As an office intern the student will assist the director at the main office and develop a project that matches her interests with the needs of the organization. Additional tasks will include office management work, non-profit organizational development and fundraising. As a field intern the student will have the opportunity to complete extensive fieldwork in both rural and urban areas. The field intern will provide support to field programs and witness the women’s courts (informal) first hand. The intern will also work with her supervisor to conduct a substantial project for the organization. She should be prepared to work in communities struggling with extreme poverty and in situations dealing with issues of violence against women. An independent and outgoing nature is required for success in this position.
Ideal Internship Qualification:
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Logistical: Hindi language skills required Open to Sophomores, and Juniors Open to students of all majors An interest in women’s issues and South Asia
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Personality: Flexible Independently Motivated Resourceful Mature Ready to involve themselves in all Action India activities |
My expressed interest in working with the youth programs was treated very seriously, however, and I soon immersed myself in developing the syllabus for and teaching a conversational English class to teenage girls in Dakshinpuri, an urban slum in southern Delhi. Commuting to the slum, adjusting my syllabus to suit the level of my students, and interacting with members of the community was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my stay in India. My students were eager to learn and absorbed everything I taught them like sponges. When I asked why they wished to study English, they all mentioned the importance of the language in the job market and they were very aware of the need of lucrative, realistic jobs to support their families. […] Interacting with and building a relationship with these girls was the most fulfilling part of my internship. While I may have had a greater influence if I had worked with them for a greater period of time, I hope that I left as lasting an impression on them as my work with them left on me.
From my experience with Action India, it is clear that two things are vital for future Action India interns: Hindi proficiency and a very assertive nature. Though I knew a substantial amount of Hindi from my coursework at Wellesley, I think my coworkers would have had greater confidence in my ability to complete tasks if I was more confident with my usage of the language. Due to the perceived language barrier, I was given the impression that my input had to be limited to only a few assignments and projects. Since my return from India, I have noticed that I have become significantly more assertive, a skill that would have been invaluable when I initiated contact with Action India. It is imperative that future interns initiate and more importantly, maintain contact with Action India prior to their internship. Additionally, future interns should outline specific tasks and goals that they hope to achieve and discuss it with the supervisor as early on as possible.
Natalya
Class of 2009