Hi! My name is Kath de Haan, I am a 3rd year psychology student from Clifton Springs in Victoria. I will be completing a program with Swinburne University and Antipodeans Abroad, volunteering in Delhi and Jaipur in India working with street children and young women. Currently, 4% of Indian children never start school, 58% do not complete primary school and 90% do not complete secondary school. Even those children that do complete school, 90% remain illiterate and are lucky to be able to perform simple 2 digit equations. Gender also creates a profound separation of differences in the Indian population. This gender separation affects the long-term outcome of women within the Indian society. Women remain more undernourished and under educated than men do, with little access to simple primary health care. For example, some children and young adults have never experienced brushing their teeth. On my trip I will potentially be working on two projects. The first is working at the Streets Children's shelter teaching English, Sports, Arts, Arithmetic and life skills to children who have never been to school. The second will be at a Women’s Empowerment Centre providing adult literacy classes, computer training and basic life skills to disadvantaged female adolescents and adults to promote better more positive life outcomes. The money raised from this fundraiser will assist my efforts in a number of ways, including but not limited to allowing me to implement and purchase a number of hygiene (toothbrushes, toothpaste) and healthcare products, educational supplies, and simple sporting goods for impoverished community schools and shelters. The simple things we take for granted are inaccessible in the areas of India I will be working. Funds raised will also be helping the local impoverished communities as a whole by providing extra economical support within the lower socioeconomic areas. Please help by donating so that these children can experience some of what our children take for granted and provided with every day. One person cannot change the world, but with a little collective help, we can help make a difference.
I hope this experience is rewarding for you and the people you meet.