Experience of a Lifetime in India

Experience of a Lifetime in India

OCTOBER, 2024

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela

Never has this quote resonated with me more than in my recent trip to Bhavnagar, India where my family and I volunteered in a school for disadvantaged pupils during the half term holiday.  The Al Mahdi school, in Shishurikar, educates boys and girls who are often the first generation in their family to be given the opportunity to attend school.

India, being my ancestral home has been a country we have been interested in visiting for years and what better way to get a true feel for the village my great great grandparents would have been from than to immerse oursevles right into it and stay and work in the village school.  

It may have only been a few days, but the experiences gained and positive impact on us is one that will shape us as people going forward.  No easing into the experience, arriving at our school accomodation on Sunday evening at 8 pm, and presenting to an assembly hall full of interested and keen teachers just 12 hours later at 8 am, the experience was jam-packed and non-stop to make the most of every moment we had.  I picked out practices from my own experience that I felt were worth sharing and went into my presentation with the intention of opening the doors to discussion, piquing interest and creating a dialogue where we could learn from one another.  The staff were keen and interested, asking questions that, interestingly, were completely pertinent to the challenges we face here in the UK as well.  

These teachers are working with students, many of whom, may never have ventured beyond their village boundaries.  Whilst many pupils posess a form of internal motivation that manifests as a result of a cycle of poverty they are determined to break, others are on the other end of the spectrum.  They struggle to see the need for a formal education.  The nearby shipping scrap yard (the largest in Asia, and perhaps even the world) provides enough employment for those who want it.  While working conditions leave much to be desired, the job provides just about enough to feed a family and provide a basic home.  When looked at in the short term, for some, this seems like an easier option than poring over books and preparing for challenging examinations.

Teachers are keen to raise standards and have similar struggles to what we deal with in the UK.  How to help a pupil who has potential, to realise what she is capable of.  Ideas for incorporating visual, auditory and kinaesthetic teaching techniques to make the learning accessible for as many pupils as possible.  Building resilience in pupils.  Content and structure for holiday revision camps and small group teaching sessions to provide a boost for children who may be a bit behind their peers.  How eye-opening, that when you really look at it closely, the discussions, challenges and strategies in education are internationally relevant.  Heartwarming thought and realisation on how as humans, collaboration truly leads to benefits for all.

It has no doubt been the most memorable way to spend half-term that I have ever had.  The staff and students were so grateful to have us there and expressed their appreciation for the knowledge shared.  Little do they know that in fact they have taught us more than we have ever learned from a textbook or exam.  Our sincerest gratitude to all at the Al Mahdi school for their warm welcome, hospitality and sharing of best practice.