May 21 2012
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independent travel, India, International Development Aid Criticism, New Delhi, non-profit, sexual harassment, volunteer, women´s rights

“I was raped on my volunteer trip to new delhi india”

These were the words that I saw this evening on my WordPress Dashboard as one of the queries that had led someone to my blog via Google.

I suppose that it is evident that someone would not google this highly specific phrase out of curiosity as to what such an experience would be like.

Surprisingly, despite the seriously high statistics of rape in New Delhi and other areas in India (studies from 2011 estimate that one woman is raped every half hour in India – National Crime Bureau statistics ), nothing relevant appears on Google for this query. My blog is actually the first result since I wrote about sexual harassment and the prevalence of rape/crimes against women in New Delhi.

I believe that is because while the serious problem of rape in India is undermined and not given enough attention or political support in general, the risks and dangers that female international volunteers face are even less mediatized and known.

I’m the last person to tell women NOT to volunteer around the world, and to shy away from places with major problems such as New Delhi, since I do so myself and lived in New Delhi for three months, but I believe that it is my right as a woman and solo traveler/volunteer to make sure that other women are well-informed about the risks that they are undertaking as well.  Unfortunately, not all volunteer missions leave international volunteers with a sense of well-being, peace, and empathy with the local culture. Women, in particular, are vulnerable to the dangers of living in places where they may be perceived in an undesirable way and where they are easily recognizable because of their appearance.

When I saw this query, I immediately thought of the US Peace Corps. It was my dream since high school to join the Peace Corps. For those of you who are not familiar with the organization, the Peace Corps is an American effort to support development projects in fairly poor/unstable regions around the world. While there is no upper age limit restriction to serving on the Peace Corps, candidates must be college graduates. The selection process is fairly competitive as well, based on factors such as skills specialization and social development experience.  The commitment is two and a half years and there are no exceptions. For me, the attraction was simply that of being supported by the US government while I do what I love to do – work directly with people on projects that built community and sustainability. While there are many different areas that one can work in – and indeed, some people teach English and that is considered “building community” as well – I would have liked to focus on projects that benefited women and girls, particularly their education and vocational skills training.

Several years ago, though, I became much more wary about the Peace Corps. It wasn’t simply because I had read some books by former Peace Corps recruits or met some disillusioned alumni. It was because my mom sent me some articles and interviews and for the first time in my life, I realized that her constant overworrying had some merit. The problem is that Peace Corps Volunteers live alone in the communities that they commit to. Moreover, they do not choose the specific areas; Peace Corps does. Each candidate lists his or her preferences, but it is ultimately the organization that chooses where their placement will be. Female Peace Corps volunteers live exactly where they are told to live, and historically, do not receive day-to-day monitoring or assistance (I am not implying that they should – I understand that this would be a huge use of resources). However, Peace Corps could do a lot to improve safety/emergency resources for their female volunteers and also provide them with pyschological support during their commitments as volunteers. I know that when I was living in New Delhi, I needed to talk with a pyschologist because of the sexual harassment that I faced. It made the experience at least bearable for me, especially since my psychologist had adopted a Nepalese girl and knew what girls who looked Nepalese or more Northeastern faced in New Delhi. She made me feel that my experiences and emotions were valid and that I was not a bad person for not loving my environment. Peace Corps has received much negative press recently however, because instead of trying to help their volunteers through difficult moments and especially after crises and emergencies such as rape, they have made their female volunteers feel as if they alone were responsible for their traumatic experiences in an effort to prevent them from speaking out publicly and thus preserve the image of the organization to Americans and around the world. Here is an eye-opening article by the New York Times about the experiences that not one, but many, female Peace Corps volunteers have had: “Peace corps Volunteers Speak Out on Rape”.  

I wish that these dangers didn’t exist for women who are brave enough to leave their homes and emphathetic enough to try to integrate themselves into a very different community. But it is important to thoroughly research where you will volunteer, and to identify resources that are available for you in times of crises. The local police is not always dependable. In India, they also stigmatize victims and judge cases of rape based on how the victim was dressed or because, walking around at 7 pm, she “was asking for it”. Language barriers can also be issues. In any case, every woman who volunteers in a different country should know that first and foremost, she is in a foreign country and is thus unfamiliar with certain places, behaviors, and aspects of the local culture. She should do everything to learn as much as possible, with the aid of locals, as it is she alone and only her who can listen to her instinct and protect herself from certain situations. Secondly, she should understand that it is her right to leave any situation if she feels uncomfortable or unsafe. I certainly did so in New Delhi. I am not sure if anything serious like rape would have happened to me, but I knew that I did not feel comfortable or safe there, and I did not want to live in an air-conditioned Western-expatriate formed bubble in order to feel that way, so I left. Finally, she must realize, really realize, that it is NOT HER FAULT if anything happens to her. There are horrible things that happen to people who do not at all deserve them. I cannot think of many things more traumatizing than imagining that you will go live in a community and bond with the people there, hoping to contribute to a local cause, and then being raped. It is not a cold bucket of water, it is a stab to the heart. We should recognize that all rape victims are victims and deserve our recognition and support.

To that person who entered that query – this post is for you. I don’t know what else to say except that I was there too, and I am truly sorry for your experience. I hope that your family and friends are with you at this time, and that they support you during the process to heal and move forward. I am here, as well. You can email me or find me on facebook, and I am more than happy to talk with you.

Much love,
Ani

May 04 2012
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independent travel, India, street kids, travel

Stories from India

I didn’t update much when I was in India because I was going through my own issues and simply trying to get through every day. But I had so many adventures there that I must share some of them with you all. India is a dream for photographers and those who are willing to experience something paranormal.

In Rishikesh, a holy town situated at the foot of the Himalayas and carved around the Ganga River, the Hindus living and studying at the temples there perform a ganga aarti every night. They light candles, dance with them making motions through the air, chant, and then release small lit candles into the river.

The demographic in Rishikesh is interesting because it’s half a special pilgrammage for Hindus and half a gathering spot for every New Age hippie traveler seeking to twist their bodies into a new yoga pose or live in an ashram for a week. I must admit that I’m closer to the latter. I went to Rishikesh because I had just decided to leave my program and I needed to cleanse my mind, body, and spirit. As it was, I was actually disappointed by the yoga, which I found to be very slow and unchallenging compared to the types of yoga that I am used to in New York, and I hung out with too many pot-smoking long term travelers to feel all that inspired. What I would recommend Rishikesh for is the nature. Here the river Ganga is fresh and uncontaminated, which is not the case in Varanasi (Hinduism says that the Ganga is sacred so dead bodies released there may have more blessed re-births… so not only are there corpses floating around the Ganga there but there are also several chemical factories upstream that release toxic waste into the river. Do. Not. Bathe. Yourself. In. The. Ganga. In. Varanasi) and the Himalaya mountains are a fantastic backdrop. There are many waterfalls near Rishikesh as well as small towns further up the mountains, and you can go for lovely runs into the mountains during the mornings.

I arrived in Mumbai at 5 in the morning from an overnight (general class… an interesting experience to say the least) train from Goa. I had plenty of time to explore the Colaba Causeway district, Mumbai’s chicest and most tourist-friendly neighborhood, and still catch the sunrise. Directly in front of the India Gate, workers were still packing away what looked like the remnants of a fancy wedding or expensive ceremony. Tens of completely covered figures were huddled on or between the benches, taking advantage of the event’s completion to take refuge and sleep. Mumbai is India’s most overcrowded city, as poor migrants from all over the country poor into the city to find jobs. It’s not for anything that they come. Mumbai’s GDP is almost 1/3 of the country’s GDP, and is home to the world’s largest film industry. The sheer contrast between these huddled figures and the Taj Hotel’s inhabitants (directly behind India Gate) would astonish anybody walking around Colaba; however, it likely doesn’t, as it is simply a long recognized defining characteristic of the city.

The homeless and destitute are a major problem in all of India, and here is a picture of another sleeping site in New Delhi. In ND, the danger is that the city becomes very cold during winter, around 20 degrees Celsius, which doesn’t sound very cold to people from Continental areas, but the poor often don’t have enough clothing nor blankets. Walking through the streets of New Delhi, one can see people burning anything and everything that they can find in order to stay temporarily warm – at any hour of the day. Not shown in this picture is the enormous pile of ash nearby, evidence of such a fire.

I went to Amritsar for a class trip. It wasn’t even my class – it was Geographies of Faith – but I wanted to go and learn about the Sikhs, who are a minority religion in India and face much prejudice. People know about the Sikhs because they are very militarily active in India – they comprise a good percentage of India’s army – and they are very outspoken about politics. Indeed, the Sikh religion and history is a testament to the discrimination that they have faced that has pushed them to try to be active in politics and also be militarily capable of defending themselves. I remember walking around the Golden Temple, which is like Mecca for Sikh believers, and my holey-cape (the things that you can buy in New York that are never practical in any other place of the world) got caught on a man’s knife. Yes, all Sikhs are required to carry curved knifes, and never cut their hair, and wear these sharp steel bracelets that back in the day were used to shield themselves from swords and also inflict damage when used over the knuckles. It all sounds intimidating. Yet the Sikhs also have an unflinching set of morals and principles that, in my opinion, are more impressive than those of Hinduism (the majority religion in India). For one, Sikhs do not believe in any caste system nor social discrimination of any kind. That may be because they have been discriminated against so much in the best, and to this day are still believed to be a part of Hinduism. So at the Golden Temple, there is a langar, or a community dining hall, where anyone of any ethnicity, caste, or sex can eat a delicious meal all throughout the day for free. Volunteers prepare thousands of meals a day. We passed by hundreds of people cutting vegetables and baking fresh roti (unleavened Indian bread). It was an inspiring and awesome sight, and I must say that I have still never eaten such delicious roti.

jI attended the inauguration of a new branch of my friend’s mother’s NGO (Adharshila) at Kalka Ji Mandir. Their mission to build foundations for strong and self-reliant communities at the grassroots level with dedication and sincerity. They strive to empower and enable society’s weaker sections through vocational training programs, counseling and awareness workshops. At this particular location, they had a women’s health care center. A gynecologist inaugurated the new center, and these girls from the neighborhood performed a special dance to thank the NGO. They were lovely and giggly, like all young girls around the world. It was amazing to see the turnout for the inauguration; the entire neighborhood (mostly mothers and their children) came to the community center and filled up the 300 sq foot main room. There must have been hundreds of people. Adharshila has 3 locations in New Delhi, and each one provides different services. Look at their website; they accept volunteers!

I switched host families in New Delhi after two months. My first host family wasn’t very communicative nor affectionate with me, and I wanted a family that felt more like.. a family. So I moved in with the Ahlawats in March. I had three host brothers as well as Auntie and Uncle (what people normally call older people that they respect). Almost as soon as I moved in, there was a whirlwind of activity because the eldest host brother was getting married. He had been living in Canada and met his wife at York University there, and they came back to India to marry in the presence of their families and friends. It was a gigantic, huge, resplendent, obstentatious affair. You haven’t been to India until you’ve attended an Indian wedding. For starters, there were four social functions not including the wedding itself. Both their families are Hindu, so each function had a specific religious purpose and was either hosted by the bride’s side or the groom’s side. Then, at the very wedding itself, there were about 700 people and it lasted until 3 or 4 in the morning. It was the first wedding that I had ever attended, and I hope that it will not be the last Indian one. I will always look back fondly on the experience, and remember the generosity and care of all those involved in the wedding’s preparation and consummation.

A few stories from India. It’s definitely a country to experience. Immerse yourself in the culture, and learn more from the people than you could ever imagine.

Apr 27 2012
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independent travel, India, safety, sexual harassment, travel

Traveling Alone in India

As I learn more and grow more familiar with Thailand, I am able to more clearly reflect on my time in India as well. The two countries are almost polar opposites, as India is a primarily Hindu country, extremely chaotic, highly overpopulated in urban areas, on the messy road to infrastructural and social development, and the size of a small continent. Thailand, in contrast, is a Buddhist country, indeed, the center of Buddhism in the world. There is a sense of serenity even on the roads of Bangkok, and markers of middle and upper class affluence are everywhere. Extreme poverty is not in your face, and more people seem educated.

Living and traveling in India was such an extreme experience in my life that I wonder if I will compare all travel experiences hereafter to my time there. I did indeed have problems with the culture and society, but I learned so much in exchange. I had to confront and try to understand many issues, such as being a woman, looking like I was from the Northeast or Nepal, the challenges of democracy, rural vs. urban resources, post-colonial issues, and more. If any of you will travel through India, slow down and take a look deeper into the chaos and madness around you. It might be the biggest learning experience in your life.

And if you go, you should know about your travel options. India is an enormous country, known as the great sub-continent, and how you get around may largely affect the quality of your time there. I do not necessarily recommend always traveling by plane, although that is the most comfortable way to move from A to B. There is much to see, hear, taste, smell, and wonder at in between.

Plane: The chic way to travel the country. India offers relatively affordable domestic flights, and domestic airports will be filled with her middle and upper class citizens, mostly businessmen and women with beautiful hair. Young backpackers may feel disheveled and poorly dressed in comparison, and you will wonder why you do not see this sort of people all the times in the cities. That is because they are most likely being driven around in the cities, as India’s moneyed mandatorily have drivers, or strolling inside air conditioned malls. I am fascinated by Indian airports, as they transport you to a place that doesn’t even seem like India: no chaos that isn’t more than a healthy amount of productive activity, no poor, no begging, no street food, etc. The whole place is like a hygenic, sleek, modern morsel of the country. As a solo traveler, I must admit though, it was very pleasant and comfortable for me to travel by domestic air. I faced no hassles, met some interesting, educated fellow plane passengers, and zipped from the south to the north in a timely 2 hours. The best Indian air company is Indigo. Not only do they rarely have delays, an extremely prevalent problem, but they also have amazing customer service and will refund any ticket (with a charge). They have few international destinations, but for domestic service, they fly practically everywhere.

Train: Train is by far the most cost-value effective option in India. The country has the most extensive railway system in the world; I have heard people tell me that if you lay all the tracks on a straight line, it would go around the world three times. Therefore, it goes to many of the remotest corners in India, including small villages and towns along the way. It’s difficult to understand the train system sometimes because there are five classes: 1st class, 2nd class, sleeper, women’s sleeper, and general but not every train has every one of these classes. Moreover, the train is so popular as a travel option in India that tickets are sold out weeks and months in advance. If possible, book your train ticket with a travel agent. He will likely charge a nominal fee of 50 rupees but that is more than worth having a waitlist ticket, which guarantees you nothing and will most likely not lead to a confirmed seat.

Bus: India’s roads are bad. Almost everywhere. Moreover, India’s traffic is horrible. You haven’t been in traffic until you are standing rock still in Mumbai’s streets. Therefore, it stands to reason that taking a bus is not a good option in India. I would recommend it only as a last option. They are generally cheaper than the train, but you will likely not be able to sleep a wink, and you will arrive at your destination a good 5 hours after you are scheduled to.

Tuk-tuk: These open-air motor powered contraptions are more commonly known inside India as “autos” and are a common feature in city centers. They are banned from certain places, like Mumbai, for safety reasons and a rare sight in smaller villages and cities, but their convenience cannot be denied. The driver should technically go by the meter, but will likely not, and therefore you should know where you are going and how much it costs. It is generally 19 rupees for the first 2 km and 6.5 rupees for every additional one. It seems that all auto drivers tell foreigners that their destination is 100 rupees. So everytime that you hear “one hundred”, know that it’s not, and ask to go by the meter. You can flag tons of autos down in most city centers, so keep on pressing until you get an honest driver. It might take a while.

Metro: An underground subway is a fairly new development for India. It only exists – to my knowledge – in New Delhi and Bengaluru. Their connectivity is still limited, but if you have the chance to travel by metro, take it. It’s much less hassle than struggling to get a reasonable fare from an auto driver, probably faster because you will not face the monstrous Indian traffic above, and comfortable, especially for women, who always have their own ladies compartment. The police actually enforce the rules of the ladies compartment, and kick out any men discreetly trying to hang out there.

So there you have it! An enormous country to traverse; it definitely takes time and patience to travel India. As a solo traveler, some options for travel are better than others. Women would generally want to stay in ladies’ compartments and also travel in the presence of other women nearby if possible. Tuk-tuks can help solo women avoid the stares and possible pinches they might receive if walking around the streets of crowded cities full of men. Like with all travel, do your research, ask lots of people, and make sure that your phone is charged and has credit.

Happy (and safe) travels!

Apr 15 2012
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India, sexual harassment, women´s development, women´s rights

9 out of 10 urban women in India are sexually harassed

I’ve been avoiding writing this post. Maybe I didn’t want to go public with my experiences, or I didn’t want strangers to know how I have been feeling for the past three months.

But here is how I have been feeling in India: harassed.

What is sexual harassment and why is it so prevalent in India that I could not escape it even with the support of academic institutions, an embassy, and a host family in New Delhi?

Let’s start from the basics.

Sexual harassment is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors.[1] In most modern legal contexts sexual harassment is illegal. As defined by EEOC, “It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Sexual harassment is an extremely pervasive problem in India for many reasons. Although I expected the cities in India to be more modern, with a greater percentage of educated, working citizens, there is a huge influx of migrants from villages who seek manual labor and who are often uneducated, illiterate, and have extremely conservative views about how women should appear and behave. It seems that they believe that any woman on the streets is fair game, since “good” women are married and thus at home, cooking or taking care of children. Moreover, any woman who is not dressed in Indian clothing from head to toe must be liberal and open-minded enough so as to not mind a pinch here or a grab there. Finally, cities often feature overcrowding, an opportunity for men to touch quickly and rapidly and not be easily apprehended for their actions.

There is a racial bias as well. Sexual harassment is almost universal in India, but it happens to different women for different reasons. It happens to Indian women because the aggressors are Indian men, and Indian women are simply there, on their home turf. But there are many ethnicities within India. I became familiar with some of the ethnicities from the Northeast, since I made some friends from Assam. I learned that many Indians discriminate against these Northeastern people, since they are not majority Hindu and dress in a Western style, and believe that Northeastern girls do not mind a little touching here or there. Foreign tourists are also often touched since Indians believe that women from Western countries very easily have sex and “want” it. Incidentally, most porn in India is Western and the condoms feature explicit pictures of foreigners.

What can explain these cultural assumptions? The problem is within the culture itself. India is a Hindu majority country, and the second largest religion is Islam. Both prohibit sex without marriage. And unlike European, South American or North American countries, many people, including young people, actually do wait until marriage to have sex. Maybe it’s because people in Europe, South America, or North America wouldn’t kill their daughters for dishonoring their families if they lost their virginity before marriage. That happens in India. It’s not common, but let’s just say that virginity is a huge issue, especially for women, in India.

The problem of sexual harassment is widely acknowledged, yet there is no real effort to change the mentality of urbanites or increase punishment for sexual harassment. The most that Indian cities have done is to create ladies-only compartments on metro lines or trains, and create many commissions for the safety of women. When I bought an Indian SIM card, I downloaded the contacts saved in the SIM card so that I could have the local numbers for the police and hospital, and I was shocked to see many additional contacts that I did not expect: Anti-Ragging (sexual harassment is known as ragging or eve-teasing in India), Anti-Obscene No, Rape Crisis, Women’s Commission, Anti-Stalking, and so on. Pick up any newspaper in India and you will read about what happens when men who believe that they can get away with sexual harassment decide to take the next step – gang rapes of children, kidnapping and trafficking, abductions at 6 pm near metro stations, and so on. It happens on a daily basis, across the country.

Statistics mean something, despite testing errors. And if 9 out of 10 urban women in India are sexually harassed, then I believe that this clearly serious problem in India needs to be addressed. People need to stop acknowledging the problem, and step up and do something.

I’m still uncomfortable talking about my personal experiences of being harassed in New Delhi on such a public space. But here’s what I can say: I left the city because of the frequent harassment. I could no longer comfortably walk on the street by myself, not even during the day. I became paranoid of all the men on the street, and would become extremely tense and agitated whenever I left my house. I hated living in such a repressive and abusive environment. I hated knowing that all the other women in the city shared some of my experiences, and that some have had worse. I cried listening to stories that other women told me. They told me these stories to comfort me, but instead I felt worse. No woman should ever have to suffer such intrusive, disrespectful, and ultimately destructive harassment.

I’m in Thailand now. I made the decision to leave India because of this issue and because of other reasons. I don’t know when I will return to India, but I am much more resolved to work on issues that affect girls and women. I now know what it feels like to feel impeded by my sexuality, instead of feeling empowered by it. The road to progress in equality for women is bumpy, to say the least, and there are people caught between the lines of tradition and modernity in places all over the world. They deserve our awareness, attention, and concern.

Mar 04 2012
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UNITE WOMEN – April 28th, 2012

Although I am in India, I have been following the elections in the US and I’m alarmed by the anti-reproductive rights stance that many Republican candidates, even “moderates” such as Mitt Romney, have taken. They are hoping to capture the heavily Christian/Catholic Midwest and other conservatives. I suppose that they will succeed, what with state governments in Texas and Virginia having successfully voted in new laws that allow private Catholic hospitals to refuse abortion requests or require that all abortions require ultrasounds beforehand, but I think that this must come to a stop, and quickly. We need to reverse this moral/religious policing of women’s rights over their own bodies and reproductive decisions . These proposals are already becoming laws in some states, and if we have an entire government that sees fit to control women’s access to contraceptives and family planning resources (such as Planned Parenthood), then we will have lost all the progress that women’s rights activists have fought for since the ’70s.

That’s why male and female advocates of women’s rights and pursuit of equality have organized a nationwide march on April 28th, 2012. It is called Unite Against the War on Women and will take place in Washington DC and also every major city in the United States. Here is the Facebook page for the event, and please spread the word to your family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances! http://www.facebook.com/#!/UniteWomen Even if you will not be in the US at that time, you can still “like” the Facebook page and discuss the issues that American women are now facing in the US with the people in your lives.

Feb 24 2012
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Update from New Delhi

Hi IndieVolunteers!

It’s been a crazy first month and some odd weeks in and out of New Delhi. I’ve had to finalize my classes and I took a couple of trips.

These days I find myself reflecting heavily on some desires and hopes in my own life, such as to study languages and culture and work in art in New York. I am in the midst of college applications once more.  This is happening concurrently as I attempt to live in a society vastly different from anything I have ever known. I struggle in many aspects, especially in certain expectations of my behavior and dress as a woman. Moreover, there is such a staggeringly large array of social issues at play in India that I feel that I am absorbing all of this knowledge and only truly understanding it day by day. It is currently elections all over India and I have never seen anything like it; everything has become politicized. Entire states are temporarily banning or halting certain things so as to garner votes from different factions.

I hope to update more with posts about specific NGOs that I have learned about, as well as some interesting issues here. Keep tuned and let me know what you have heard about that’s happening in India right now as well!

Best,
Ani

Jan 28 2012
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Good Intentions Are Not Enough, International Aid, International Development Aid Criticism, millenium development goals, non-profit, re-blog, volunteer, women´s development, women´s rights, world order

IndieVolunteer Reading!

I greatly admire this blog called Good Intentions Are Not Enough and I’d like to share the author’s compilation of enlightening and useful reading about international aid and development.

Incomes, needs, rights, sponsorship and cash transfers - Wait… What?!

Haiti shows why poor communication stalls relief –report - Alert Net

A Seat at the Table: a Twitter-ful list of women crucial to foreign policy - The Levo League

Should you or shouldn’t you volunteer at a Cambodian orphanage? - Expat Living

Half The Sky; On The Ground – Webbed Feet - Interesting timeline and perspective on Kristof’s writing on sex trafficking.

My development blogging 2011 review – Development as anthropological object – an overview of development blogging in 2011.

TEN BIGGEST POSITIVE AFRICA STORIES OF 2011 – The New Yorker

How Ethiopia’s Adoption Industry Dupes Families and Bullies Activists - The Atlantic

Thoughts on doing no harm - Tim Hoiland - looks at two books on smart giving aimed at a religious audience.

The Truth About Foreign Aid – penelope m.c. – On a BBC 3-part podcast on foreign aid.

Donated Pills Make Some Charities Look Too Good On Paper - Forbes – on the over-valuing of medicine by nonprofits to improve their admin ratio.

Story Update – Three Cups of Deceit – Krakauer tracks the ongoing shenanigans over at CAI.

Passion Is Not Enough: The Most Common Mistakes Startup Nonprofits Make - Desiree Adaway

For those debating Sachs: Remember, it’s not REAL…. it’s economics. – Lessons I Learned

RCTs and aid effectiveness: Much to be said – How Matters - A compilation post tracking the debate on RCT’s (Randomized Control Trials) in aid.

Unintended consequences – – how much harm can doing good cause? – Nonprofit Update

Giving Wisely in 2012 – tips for donating and volunteering – Pursuit of Public Health

It seems like a lot of reading, but just choose one article to read each day and pore over it. Like the name of the blog suggests, good intentions aren’t enough. We have to be educated about how to make the world a better place, otherwise we may end up doing ineffective work or creating even more harm.

Jan 27 2012
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art, books, host family, India, India Art Fair, Jaipur, Jaipur Literature Festival, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, non-profit, Pushkar, safety, study abroad, travel, volunteer

The Beginning of a New Life in New Delhi

It’s been two weeks since I arrived and I’ve begun to set up my life. I’ve learned some important lessons, and even traveled and attended some cultural events around and outside of New Delhi.

I’ll start with the lessons first.

I always knew them as 'tuk-tuks' but here in India they are called 'autos'.

Firstly, I learned that New Delhi is immense. Transportation is an issue in this sprawling city of circular roads, heavy congestion, and a limited metro. Here, I’d like to note that I’ve lived in Los Angeles for about a year without a car and that nothing is as bad as Los Angeles! New Delhi’s salvation is that auto rickshaws and taxis are relatively cheap and plentiful. I also live within walking distance of the metro and bus. Auto rickshaws will always try to rip you off, however, and you must haggle prices or stick to your ground by going by the meter fare (19 rupees for the first 2 km and 6.5 rupees for each additional km). You will be astonished by the amount of drivers who refuse to turn the meter on or insist that theirs are broken.

Another important thing about New Delhi is that safety is an issue. New Delhi is perhaps the most dangerous city in all of India for women, and the Commission on the Safety of Women here is still trying to figure out some viable solutions. For now, however, always try to travel with somebody else. Don’t walk alone after 9-10 pm. Don’t take autos alone after 10 pm. Never take a taxi cab alone – there have been incidents of taxi drivers raping the young women that they are driving. The safety issue does really affect me, unlike the transportation issue, because I am used to being very independent, and New York City is overall very safe. However, looking on the bright side, I’ll always be with a group of people. Sometimes in NY I would just go to parties by myself, and sometimes it worked out, but generally it’s nice to go to an event with people that you already know and like.

A night market near where I live in South Delhi

There is a tremendous amount of energy in New Delhi. Cars and autos will speed by, and there are seemingly markets everywhere. You will never be too far from the noise of shopping transactions or honking drivers. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, New Delhi is not your city! Considering that I used to fall asleep to the noise of the 24/7 public transportation outside of my window, I’m fine with this. I’ve actually become dependent on the constant noise of a city – as they say, you can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl.

I don’t really understand why new-age/no-shower hippies are attracted to India when Indians dress very smartly and care very much about cleanliness. Press wallahs and dry cleaners are everywhere since most people freshly iron or dry clean their clothes on a daily basis. Whether it be traditional kurtas or saris or Western style casual or business clothing, Indians dress pretty sharply. Shoes are often taken off before entering a home and rubber flip flops aren’t worn outside of showers. And even though many people eat with their hands and toilets are typically holes without toilet papers, people vigorously wash their hands beforehands or afterwards. So if you’re planning on visiting, tie-dye raggy t-shirts and flops will make you stand out rather than fit in, and make sure to pay attention to hygiene.

Finally, poverty is omnipresent in this city. You can hardly distinguish the “good” neighborhoods from the others, simply because there are people without homes, bathrooms, shoes, and other necessities everywhere. While a middle class has clearly emerged, New Delhi is still full of “slums” and the poor are simply too numerous to ignore. It is heartbreaking how widespread and deeply entrenched this poverty seems. To the poor however, it isn’t heartbreaking – it’s normal everyday life. I will always maintain that we should never believe that poverty is “normal” and “will always exist”, however.

As part of the intro for a course "Service Learning", we visited an NGO called Prayas in a village near JNU. These boys followed me all throughout our tour and loved hearing my pigeon Hindi.

JNU has a very socially and politically active student body that puts up posters and murals everywhere on campus.

JNU is very large and green. It's a world away from the urban madness of New Delhi.

Now onto my life here. I am living with a host family with two dogs in South Delhi. I have a host mom who teaches Economics at Delhi University and an older host brother who studies English literature there as well. We live in a residential area near these huge parks, a tennis stadium, and a fun neighborhood called Haus Khauz Village. I am taking the majority of my courses at Jawaharlal Nehru University, which is India’s best university. There I will take a Linguistics, a French translation, and an Economics & Law course. I’m also going to be studying an intermediate level of Hindi with a professor hired by the center that organized the study abroad program. I’m really happy with this setup – I live pretty close to JNU and it’s an opportunity to truly immerse myself in an Indian setting and learn how another system of education functions. (So far, the professors have been pretty relaxed about coming to class on time and one canceled class for a week because of a wedding, so I have yet to experience the madness that will be taking graduate-level courses!) I also get along spectacularly along with my host family. It helps that I adore dogs and that I, just like my host brother, am an only child. So I can talk about a lot of things with my host mom and him – family, culture, politics, food, etc.

The main fountain of Diggi Palace, where the Lit Festival was held.

True words.

I haven’t been resting on my laurels while my professors canceled class, however! Last week I traveled to Jaipur to attend the famed Literature Festival there. It’s the largest literature festival in the Asia-Pacific region, and the programming was magnificent. I attended panels by Fatima Bhutto (Songs of Blood and Swords), Jamaica Kincaid (Autobiography of My Mother), Ben Okri (The Famished Road), Richard Dawkins (The Selfish Gene), Amy Chua (World on Fire, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother), Abhijit Banerjee (Poor Economics), and more. I learned most by attending panels on books that I hadn’t read, because most of these excellent books are self-explanatory and comprehensive. The festival brought up certain controversial issues, such as Salman Rushdie’s attendance (he did not attend because of death threats that were later shown to been fabricated), relations between India and Pakistan, and China’s rapid development.

Currently, the India Art Fair is occuring and it’s a similarly enriching experience. To me, art is about seeing new ways to see, and learning about certain social and political problems that may not be often discussed or easily understood. Contemporary art brings up contemporary issues and is a snapshot of our times. I’ll share pictures of the fair with you all once it ends and talk about some Indian artists that I have met/liked!

I also have a list of great local NGOs here in India that I will discuss in my next post. I know that some of you are interested in volunteering in India, and believe me, it’s a fascinating place to do so. India is still trying to solve some of its most pressing social problems, and it’s interesting to discover what is working and what isn’t. There are programs where researchers are collaborating with NGOs, which are collaborating with governments, and I hope to share those with you all next time!

I’ll leave you with pictures of Pushkar, a very special pilgramage site near Jaipur. It has the most famous Brahma temple in the country. There was a certain peace and quiet there, and I really enjoyed observing everyone fulfill their rituals.

Jan 12 2012
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Safely in Delhi !

I just arrived today in New Delhi after two layovers. The things that I do for affordable airfares.

I went directly to orientation at the American Institute of Indian Studies. The group of students seems really nice and pretty chill; they’re all Americans in addition to one Spanish girl. I’m going to be taking courses at Jawaharlal Nehru University as well, so that way I can meet Indian and international students.

It was interesting that I arrived just in time for the Culture, Gender and Safety panel, considering that I’m here because I’m interested in gender issues in the culture. Learning about the gendered differences and the degradation of women’s status in India since ancient times, when women enjoyed equal status to men, married at later ages, were literate and chose their own husbands, refreshed me yet again on why I chose to live and experience India for five months, as well as do an internship with an NGO that researches women’s issues. The International Center for Research on Women is an incredible opportunity to work with an international NGO that does research and consulting work for both other NGOs and governments. I’ve had a lot of morose conversations with people who don’t believe that women will ever be treated equally, and that they will always be considered inferior in society, but I simply don’t believe that. Anybody who thinks that fighting for advancements for women is an impossible cause should simply look back to ancient times. It’s only been recently that we began subjugating women and confining them to certain roles and spaces. Cultures can only change, and we can contribute positively to that change going forward.

I’m an optimistic but also a pragmatic person. And I know that that change is happening slowly but surely in India. The 2012 Barnard Global Symposia on Women in India (which highlights the accomplishment of certain Indian women) should perk me up if I get too discouraged :) I’ll go to Mumbai to attend that symposia in March.

Stay tuned for more news! I’ll write about things like Bollywood dance lessons and rickshaws soon enough. I’m not letting the culture go at all – I hope to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival, Carnaval in Goa, and take a higher level of Hindi as well as beginner’s Arabic.

Fir milenge! (See you later!)

Dec 31 2011
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2012 !

Happy New Year everybody! We’re not quite there yet in NYC, but I’d like to write this post before the clock strikes midnight :)

It’s been a very full year and I’m happy to have shared that on IndieVolunteer. In 2011, I went to Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, China, Hong Kong, France, Spain, back to school in LA, and Qatar. It was a year full of volunteering, internships, application essays, schoolwork, conferences, and solo traveling.

I learned a lot. I learned to always trust your instinct (safety, especially when you’re traveling alone). I learned to never give up on your dream (which for me is to study in New York City or another viable diverse metropolitan city). I learned to take risks and do things you never thought you would ever do (I went to the Middle East for the first time…. during finals. And I applied to and was accepted for study abroad in India). I learned to leave the past behind and move on (USC is behind me. Los Angeles is behind me. Now I can move forward. And I won’t go backwards). I learned a lot about what is important professionally to me and I drafted a lot of ideas for the future.

I know that all plans won’t come to fruition, but in 2012, I’m going to study abroad in India. Intern with the International Center for Research on Women. Attend Barnard’s Global Symposia on Women Changing India in Mumbai. Perhaps attend a conference in Iraq. Perhaps attend the G(irls)20 Summit in Mexico. Perhaps attend the World Youth Congress in Brazil. Hear back about whether I was accepted to the Critical Language Scholarship for the summer. Otherwise plan to intern at an art museum in NYC. Go to as many festivals as possible. And hopefully enroll in a school in New York City or London in September.

Keep on independently volunteering & traveling, everybody! Happy New Year !

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