After an unexpected false start, Alison Marqusee '16 turned her summer around by volunteering with Seva Mandir: a non-profit that takes a multi-faceted approach to development in India.
When religion major Alison Marqusee '16 began her an internship in India this summer, she was surprised to find that the organization she had signed on to work for clashed with her ethics. Her colleagues not only seemed detached from the communities they served, but also unconcerned with the effects of their programs. So, after two weeks, she decided to look for another placement.
Fortunately, Haverford's Center for Peace and Global Citizenship, which sponsored Marqusee's internship, gave her the guidance and support to make the switch. Soon she was able to find a more compatible match with Seva Mandir: a non-profit that takes a multi-faceted approach to development through learning camps, non-formal education centers, youth centers, civic groups, and microfinance.
Marqusee worked with the organization's Youth Center program, which creates places where young men and women can meet to discuss issues of health, education, and empowerment. Her personal project was to design and implement English lessons for the organization's patrons. Though she only worked with Seva Mandir for a month, she strived to make a lasting impact by writing a report on effective teaching strategies for the organization to use as they develop their English education program in the future.
“Even though the first half of the summer was unexpectedly challenging, I have no regrets about my time in India,” Marqusee says.“It was educational to see firsthand what can go wrong in an NGO if we are not intentional and considerate in our approaches to ‘doing good.'”
