Pravah

My Pravah ICS Experience: I’ve become infinitely more positive and optimistic since February 16th, when I arrived in India

The debate about gender and sexual orientation is a particularly important one in today’s society, as people increasingly decide to seek freedom of expression. A young man narrates his own experience of breaking gender stereotypes in the heart of Delhi – the Delhi Metro.

Talking about topics like menstruation and menstrual health can be difficult in rural India. Recognising this, a team of volunteers decided to create a space where young girls from a Rajasthan village could discuss these topics without fear.

A Pravah ICS volunteer from the UK recalls his journey while on placement, and how it shaped his views on development.

Sadri village in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district had strong caste divides in its community, till one event brought women together.

When the looming question of “what next” came to mind, Mohammad Nidhal found his answers in a school tucked away in a remote Rajasthani village.

Women in many rural parts of India often lack public forums and spaces to come together and discuss their matters and socialise. Laura McGuire describes how she and her fellow volunteers managed to create such a forum for the women of a Madhya Pradesh village.

When communities join together for social improvement and change, they can overcome even the most difficult of odds. Rupal Hariyaow talks about how a youth club in a village in Rajasthan banded together to get a disabled member assistance he desperately needed.

Unknown and unfamiliar environments challenge set perceptions and individual world views. UK national Sarah Louise Horscroft talks about how interacting with villagers in Rajasthan helped her better understand herself and her world.