May 17, 2020

Part II of Navigating COVID-19: How AIF Alumni Are Adapting to the Crisis?

The Navigating COVID-19 Webinar Series began in May 2019 during the height of the pandemic lockdown in India. The series, comprised of three webinars, was entirely led by current AIF Fellows and AIF Fellowship Alumni on various topics related to the social sector. The event was organized in support of AIF’s COVID-19 Response by the AIF Clinton Fellowship COVID Response Team.

On May 16th, we hosted the second webinar of the series, Navigating COVID-19: How AIF Alumni are adapting to the crisis including three exciting presentations on supporting entrepreneurs in the Bronx and Bihar; how technology is improving contract tracing to slow down the virus; and the realities faced by migrant communities in India. Hosted by Jane Hammaker, the lighting presentations were given by AIF Alumnus Esmeralda Herrara, Sriya Srikrishnan, and Rachel Varghese.

Speakers

Technology in Crisis: Dimagi’s Outbreak Response

Sriya Srikrishnan (’12 – ’13 Alum) is an MPH graduate, committed to improving community health programs, with a focus on maternal and child health, nutrition, and arts-based promotion of health. She played a strong role in the launch and scale up of a large scale health project to address malnutrition and improve maternal and child health in India. She is currently leading partnerships for the Dimagi India Team.

Entrepreneurship in Vulnerable Communities: Experiences From the Bronx, NY and Bihar, India

An ecosystem builder, Esmeralda Herrera (’17-’18 Alum) is Director of Programs and Community Relations in her Bronx community home. She has worked with Project Potential, an entrepreneurial hub in Bihar, India. She is dedicated and believes entrepreneurship is a great way to solve income inequality and would love to do her part to help others help themselves.

54 Days and Counting: Stories of How India’s Abandoned Poor Are Dealing With the National Lockdown

Rachel Varghese (’15 – ’16 Alum) is a public health researcher with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL South Asia) and was also an AIF Clinton Fellow in 2015 – 2016. She is currently volunteering with the Stranded Workers’ Action Network in India.

Please watch the full presentations here:

Navigating Covid-19: How AIF Alumni are adapting to the crisis

The American India Foundation (AIF) Fellowship outreach team has organized a series of free events to raise support for #AIFCOVID19Response! Our second webinar of the series will be on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 11am EDT/8:30pm IST. You'll hear AIF Fellowship Alumni Esmeralda Herrara, Sriya Srikrishnan, and Rachel Varghese talk about their exciting work in supporting entrepreneurs in the Bronx and Bihar; how technology is improving contract tracing to slow down the virus; and the realities faced by migrant communities in India.Please join us at Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MKDoBpcuSp6pTpQOuAqu2g DONATE here: www.aif.org**100% of donations will be used to provide assistance to vulnerable families and/or frontline health workers affected by Covid-19, as part of AIF's Covid-19 Humanitarian Response – donations are tax deductible**

Posted by AIF Clinton Fellowship on Saturday, May 16, 2020

jessica_standifer

Jessica is serving as an American India Foundation (AIF) Clinton Fellow with TYCIA Foundation in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi, NCR. For her Fellowship project, she is designing a campaign for educational facilities to increase enrollment and retention of girls from the Korku tribe by incorporating life skills into the curriculum and training teachers. After completing her undergraduate studies, Jessica taught technical theater in the Performing Arts Department at Santa Susana High School. In addition to teaching, she designed a new curriculum, built community partnerships, and secured internship opportunities for students. Jessica participated in the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship program, studying Urdu in Lucknow. Furthermore, with a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship, she continued her Urdu studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison South Asia Summer Language Institute. Jessica is excited to join the AIF Clinton Fellowship to work with girls. Raised in Southern California, Jessica has always had a knack for storytelling, which has woven together her experiences in theater, research, and data science. Jessica looks forward to tackling her Fellowship project and building upon her studies in urbanization and quantitative research experience.