Our first major outing in India was this past Thursday when
we accompanied MCC Social Work Students on their field work visits to local
NGOs. Two Indian students were matched with a couple Oles to allow for a more
intimate experience with the locals. Each NGO focused on a different social
issues in India ranging from domestic violence, education, disabled children,
and poverty in the community. Across the board, the day proved to be incredibly
insightful and moving for all 21 of us. Some had opportunities to visit homes
in the communities, others taught team building exercises, and many interacted
directly with those suffering from these issues.
One example was an NGO called Mumford Community Development
Society, which focused on community based rehabilitation for disabled people of
all ages. Rachael and Natalia had the opportunity to work directly with members
from the NGO as well as their clients. Part of their day consisted of visiting
a rehabilitation center located in a slum along Marina Beach where they learned
about the various mental disabilities affecting the patients. The highlight of
their day was participating in a relay race with all the patients they met.
Amanda and Erin had the opportunity to visit a similar NGO, Krupa,
which focuses on providing assistance to families with disabled children through
multiple venues. In the morning, they were able to visit client families at
their own homes. In the afternoon, they visited two vocational training
programs that teach women from the fishing community, family members of the
disabled, and ex-convicts how to weave, sew, and embroider beautiful
traditional Indian clothing.
On Friday all St. Olaf and MCC students came together to
reflect on their experiences the previous day. Brief presentations were given
by each set of students to share the most impactful moments from their field
work visits. Common themes included strength, resilience, empowerment,
sustainability, and the difference between learning vs. doing. Dr. Miriam
Samuel from the MCC Social Work Department gave a closing lecture about the
importance of cross-cultural sensitivity and competency when traveling abroad
and interacting closely with people from another culture. Overall, the
experiences proved to be quite powerful for both MCC and St. Olaf students and
a great start to a month of learning and traveling in India!
