The WIP: "Students in India Take Social Change into Their Own Hands"

The WIP is The Women's International Perspective. It is a news site and blog written by women authors about world and social issues.

"Our mission is to provide quality news from the unique perspectives of women that is accessible worldwide and free to our readers." They write, "The WIP honors underrepresented voices. We honor women, we honor the indigenous, we honor the poor, we honor the personal and the invisible, we honor stories that don’t get press and we honor the freedom that is the gift that comes with the open exchange of ideas, analysis, and opinion."

Several weeks ago, Nivedita and I were interviewed by a contributor for this organization, Fehmida Zakeer, who wrote an article about us that was published today.

The article highlights three student-run organizations: Umang Foundation from Mumbai, Diya from Chennai, and Sangam India. It discusses why young people work together for social welfare and how they are interested in making positive changes.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

In another part of Chennai, a group of medical students was distributing food to underprivileged children near their college when a man walked up to them with a request, “Can you help me send my daughters to school?” In a section of society where education for girls does not even warrant a cursory thought, here was a father who wanted to send not just one, but two daughters, to high school. The medical students soon founded Sangam India to help improve the quality of life for those in underprivileged communities. Their plan was to adopt one disadvantaged community at a time and guide it towards self-sufficiency by supporting education for children, providing vocational training to adults and establishing public health measures.

“We pass by slums and impoverished people on a daily basis but how often, if at all, do we stop and actually consider what their lives might actually be like? Where do they go when it rains and floods? What happens to them when they fall sick? Do their children go to school? What are their hopes and dreams? The answers will come only if we actually stop and meet the people staying there, and take the time to know the cadences of their lives on a personal [level],” say Nivedita Gunturi and Sriram Ramgopal, medical students and founders of Sangam India.

The article can be read for free at The WIP website. Click here to view the entire article.

Thanks to Ms. Zakeer for writing up such a great article, and of course thanks to The WIP for spreading the word!