Dear readers,
Most people would agree that moving to a new place requires a degree of adjustment and compromise. Upon our arrival in Delhi, the fellows were greeted by one of the fellowship coordinators and taken to a hostel where we would begin our 10 days of orientation. As I approach the final day here in Delhi, I thought it was fitting to take a moment to reflect on the events of orientation as well as my feelings about moving on to Mumbai tomorrow.
As the fellows waited to gather our luggage, I found myself struggling to manage my things. I looked around, and many of the other fellows were somehow able to pack as if they were leaving for a weekend. They carried backpacks and perhaps a very small suitcase, all which were intended for 10 or more months here in India. I immediately remembered my first time traveling to China at the delicate age of 19. At the time, China was a mystery to me and over-packing was unavoidable. This was no exception; carrying all of my belongings, no matter how grueling, was comforting. I found myself in the same predicament six years later as I arrived in India. I struggled with my bags until we reached our bus. I excitedly spent each moment of our 30-minute drive trying to take it all in – the surrounding landscape, the unfamiliar people, and the weight of my decision, feeling simultaneously nervous and excited at what would come. From women dressed in beautiful Indian clothing to men sweating as they drove their rickshaws through the scorching high temperatures of the mid-day sun, everything was new, unfamiliar, and thrilling. Children were running up to rickshaws in traffic where they extended their small, tired, hopeful little hands eager to collect a few rupees from those passing by. I remembered the rickshaws (tuk tuk) in Thailand and the many “street” children who would approach me to buy roses, fruit, or implore me to give them money. I recall very vividly the discomfort that I felt the first time that I saw these sad youthful faces, and even now, so many years later, that familiar feeling returns. I don’t think that there will ever come a time when I get used to seeing these children in the streets, and each time I do, I feel my heartbreak a little more.
After checking-in, I was assigned to room 104 where I met my roommate. Marielle, who is also a Clinton fellow, hails from Brooklyn and has visited India many times. This time, however, she is here to work on education and community organizing with an NGO in New Delhi. We enjoyed talking about human rights and curriculum development as well as our personal/professional goals. As we attempted to unpack our things, I asked her about how women are expected to dress in India. She told me, “Whatever you do, don’t show your legs.” Of course I had expected Delhi to be conservative, but I didn’t think much about how difficult it would be to cover-up in the unbearable humidity. Many fellows, including Marielle, have brought Indian clothes which they collected during previous visits to India. I suddenly remembered my experience working in Burma and the expectations for the way women should dress. Many of the teachers were approached by our Turkish administrators about our knee-length skirts in order to stop being “mini skirt teachers.” I’m continuously told that Mumbai will be different and that women have more freedom and there is not nearly as much pressure for women to dress conservatively. This small aspect of the culture prompted me to begin to thinking about gender and sexuality, topics I would soon learn a bit more about.
There seemed to be two main objectives of our orientation. The first objective was to have our fellowship class bond together. Given that the program matches fellows with leading NGOs based on our specific skill sets, fellows are placed all over the country. The American India Foundation (AIF) is aiming to develop a sense of community among and between fellowship classes so that fellows do not only connect to their NGO placement site but also to AIF’s programs. The second goal was intended to familiarize the fellows with what the current educational, public health, and life initiatives look like in the region so that we could become oriented to their current circumstances. In order to educate the fellows effectively, AIF organized a diverse group of guest speakers and presenters who would speak to us and share their ideas and insights about life in India and what needs existed. The speakers came from all areas of the development sector (operating under both non and for-profit models). While all of the presenters managed to move me in some way and gave me a great deal to think about, a couple of the speakers, in particular, really prompted me to contemplate India’s overall development. The speakers came from the Dreamed a Dream Foundation based in Bangalore and the Naz Foundation based in New Delhi.
The mission of the Dreamed a Dream Foundation is essentially to help and assist the young people living in the slums of the cities to develop proper life skills so that they will become empowered to set goals and to develop the skills necessary live healthy and productive lives. The presenter from the foundation was an extremely dynamic public speaker and I was in my element as a teacher, absorbing everything that I heard, internalizing all of it, and beginning to think about how I could help and contribute my services. He led the fellows in playing some of the games that are often used with the children that they work with. As he pointed out, the games are all-inclusive, meaning that there will never be a time when a child is “out” of the game. For example, if one of the children makes a mistake in the game, he/she naturally becomes the facilitator of the game. This made me think back upon my own childhood. I recalled that I never very successful in gym class, and was often one of the last chosen and the first one out. I remember sitting on the sidelines, trying to hold back my tears, while wondering if/when I would have another chance to play again. As I sat through the presentation, I was pleased to see that this organization strives to include all children and to empower them. Many of the youth that they work with feel marginalized and are victims of low expectations. Furthermore, participation in the program has led to higher academic achievement and success. Immediately, I began to wonder whether there has been a genuine effort to educate government school teachers to implement these strategies in their classrooms. If so, what do the strategies look like, and how effective are they? If not, what initiatives can we put into place to help both the educators and their learners better themselves?
The educational concerns relevant in Indian culture today can be broken down into two major categories and within these two groupings, there are additional issues that exist. The first concern is access to educational opportunities and the second is the quality of the education being provided. India is notorious for having well-written policies and laws, and it has been said that the country has the best laws in the world. However, the problems facing the country exist at the level of implementation. In 2009, the country successfully passed the Right to Education Act, a piece of legislation that states that all children from ages 6-14 have the right to a compulsory education. While this legislation should be applauded for its revolutionary and universal approach, it should also be noted that there have been a variety of attempts to have similar acts passed for more than 60 years. Additionally, there are several limitations within the act. First and foremost, the act does not address the needs of children from ages 0-6 or from 14-18. Additionally, the act attempts to tackle the issue of access but does not address the issue of quality. As I sat during the presentation that afternoon, I began to think about these facts and to raise questions about what it means to receive an education here in India.
In order to make a contribution to India’s overall development as a Clinton fellow, I am excited to be placed with Teach for India (TFI), an NGO which is part of the Teach for All Network. Given that most Americans are familiar with Teach for America, the concept is essentially the same here in India. TFI is aiming to place top university graduates in Indian classrooms for two years. As a new organization which began last year, I am looking forward to joining their team. It is very exciting that there are so many brilliant, enthusiastic young me and women who are aspiring to make a difference and to take two precious years to contribute to India’s overall development by tackling the quality of education issue. One of the major problems facing India’s schools is that teachers rarely show up on time, if at all. The ones who do show up are often apathetic, uninterested, or ill-equipped to be in the classroom, in the first place. Despite well-written policies, both the initial training of teachers as well as professional development opportunities are scarce. Additionally, government schools are at the bottom of a tall ladder of alternative opportunities in more elite private schools which are available to only to the wealthy and privileged. There are also alternative government schools which actually out-perform many of the private schools. However, many of these schools are reserved for the children of officials and members of an elite caste.
One cannot talk about the state of education without acknowledging issues related to curriculum development. While the curriculum includes major subjects like math, science, English, and social studies, curriculum that we would offer in the US, there are hardly any opportunities for students to become educated in things such as art and music. Additionally, there is no sex education in schools, which crosses over into the public health realm of the development sector. The lack of access to sex education contributes to the HIV/AIDS and contraception issues. Additionally, there are no resources for students who may be grappling with feelings related to his/her sexual/gender identity and sexual orientation. The work of the Naz Foundation, however, has been working to shed some light on the situation for the LGBT(Q) community in India.
September 3, 2009 marks one of India’s most significant constitutional changes. Previously, Article 377 of India’s constitution explicitly stated that any sexual act that might be deemed as “non-pro-creative” would result in severe punishment, often meaning a life-long prison sentence. The Naz Foundation initiated a petition which was then taken to the Delhi High Court in order to repeal this act. The Naz Foundation rightfully argued that this article was a violation of one’s right to freedom and liberty, as stated in India’s constitution. It was initially rejected by the New Delhi High Court and was subsequently taken to the Supreme Court where it was also dismissed. When taken back to the Delhi High Court, however, article 377 was successfully repealed, an event that many would consider revolutionary for India. The Naz Foundation itself focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and counseling for those who are infected here in India. This is likely necessary in order to receive funding from donors who might otherwise be unwilling to support programs for the LGBT(Q) community. I began to reflect on the the many discussions that take place in the USA around queer rights and “straight privilege.” Perhaps these issues should be examined in a more global context so that each time a hurdle is overcome, there is no false sense of progress or security. For example, while some of the LGBT community enjoys the opportunity to marry, others do not have the chance. As the fight for change and civil rights continues, it is important not to forget that these issues persist in a greater capacity on an international scale. I am looking forward to learning more about what organizations like Naz are doing in India to curb these inequalities.
That’s all for now…
