22 year old Sara Redgewell, who completed her graduation in linguistics, is spending her time teaching rural kids English in Nellore. She decided that she wanted to see the world and give something back to society before getting into the grind of everyday life again. So she began looking for voluntary agencies, packed her bags and came to India. Why India? Well, the organisation that Sara zeroed in on at a college fair - VESL, or Volunteering for Educational Support and Learning works in Sri Lanka and India. "I liked it because it was among the few purely non-profit organisations," says Sara. "Volunteers are selected and interviewed, and I opted for three months in India."
The idea behind VESL is to expose children in small, rural schools to people who have English as their native language. Besides, rather than experiencing India as a tourist, Sara wanted to live within the community as an insider.
She arrived at CHILD Ashram, a home for destitute children near Nellore. "I was shocked at the level of English spoken and understood by these very rural children. It was so much more than what I expected!" she says adding that she concentrates on teaching vocabulary and grammar.
While she is learning the local customs and language, Sara is amazed at the work that the 90 children do at home. "But that's understandable, considering the background that they come from and the fact that they need to be self-reliant. says Sara.
She's moved by the affection showered on her. "On Independence Day the children tied my hair in a plait, put a bindi on my forehead and were thrilled to call me ‘India girl'.
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