what in the world am i doing?

I ask myself this question everyday, because I’ve finally ventured into the mystifying world of “international development”. I am week 2 into an internship with the South Indian NGO “Organization for Development Action and Maintenance” located in the rural town of Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu. To speak developmentese, this organization works on “women’s empowerment issues in the rural developing world”.

Specifically though, ODAM is a model for its work: The primary focus of this organization is its support of women’s self-help groups in this region by creating economic opportunities and microcredit loans for rural women and families. The organization started 12 years ago by offering microcredit loans to repressed social groups in the state (particularly addressing those facing gender and caste-based discrimination). Since then, the organization expanded its reach into social development, and in 2005 built a girls’ middle school (for girls aged 10-14 yrs). ODAM acquired government support to finance the school, but the NGO is responsible for its successful operation. Uniquely, this school actually serves as a channel to re-integrate drop-out girls back into the schooling system. Because of the many complicated social conditions families here face as the members of the “rural, poor, outcaste” classes of Tamil Nadu, daughters are often pulled out of school to work as laborers to supplement family income. In many cases, ODAM literally goes to villages to negotiate sending girls to school, often making this a condition to any loan assistance they offer a family or mother. As a result, girls at our school come from a variety of social backgrounds, some with families supportive of their education, while others definitely not. ODAM’s school teaches 6,7,8 standard state curricula, including English (thanks to British colonialism).

In addition to the standard core curricula issued by the Tamil Nadu State Education Board (Math, Science, Social Science, Tamil, English grammar) the girls have 5 alternating courses that teach them various “life skills”. This includes Computer Skills, Physical Education, Art/Drawing, plus a couple more “vocational training” courses that give them skills to potentially earn an independent income (such as tailoring, handicrafts, and cosmetics/salon care etc). To complement the English grammar instruction, administered by a local Tamilian daily, ODAM recruits international volunteers to give the girls practice with spoken English (to make them more competitive candidates for employment in the future). In the mornings, then, I am tasked to go to the school and have class with 6th and 7th standard, with the goal of improving their spoken and listening English skills. In the afternoons I can do whatever I want, literally, and I’m making it up as I go along.

Now, I don’t particularly like the English Language, and teaching it abroad is definitely not something I saw myself doing after all my preparations to advocate non-imperialist forms of international development. Yet I come here to ODAM, and it’s what they actually Want Me To Do, so I’m here doing the Hokey Pokey in the mornings with young Tamil teenie-bops. oy vey.

In the afternoons, I am drawing up a project design that would potentially support the self-help groups and create an economic source for ODAM. A little more background info: So with the opening of the school, ODAM began inviting international volunteers. At some point, some volunteer came up with the idea (and resources for) an ODAM biodiesel initiative to generate local energy production, which then naturally led to a glycerine waste product, which then led another volunteer to launch a “fair trade” soap idea, which some volunteers are now working on to start developing for foreign markets. I came up with the idea that maybe we can make the packaging locally too, out of paper made with cow dung or local plant fibers. That way we can market it as 100% Tiruchuli and keep all profits local. I, of course, am no chemist, but I got ideas! So in the afternoons, I’m spending time on DIY websites on how to make paper and reading blogs on sustainable development projects in India.

My mind races everyday with new understandings of the relationships I’m building to international development vs. local grassroots work, South India vs. the West- and trying to figure out how in the world to reconcile these differences! Everyday I feel like I’m exercising my creativity and problem-solving skills, and I’m learning so much. I’ll try to document ideas on here, hoping to provoke your feedback and interpretations. As of now, pointers on handmade paper production would be cool.