By:- Lisa Senty (France)
Out of my 6 weeks in India, working for Pardada Pardadi Educational Society is my most valuable memory. I grew professionally but also personally. The work done within the NGO is truly life changing, both for the people it benefit to and the ones making the project a reality. After graduating from my bachelor and about to specialize in International Relations, I wanted to get a field experience in the world of humanitarian action. During my time working in the Delhi office in the Communications & Fundraising Department, I got to experience the feeling of doing something meaningful: my tasks had an impact beyond my mere desk. Within the first week, I had already been taken to the school in the countryside of Uttar Pradesh to see by myself the school and the girls studying there. This visit was highly important as it gives another perspective to work done in the Delhi office. It hits you : Pardada Pardadi changes their lives forever. The projects you only get to read about are incarnated in the faces of all these hard-working women. All the girls are so lively, they are not scared of talking to you in English. Despite not speaking it daily in their home, they speak with a confidence that impressed us all. They get access to an education but they also develop their personalities, turning them into focused young women only wishing to get more and more opportunities in life. Working in India is not easy but the entire team made me feel accepted as soon as I arrived, being always caring and conscious of the cultural differences separating us. The atmosphere is very friendly: being uncertain and making mistakes is not something you feel bad about; on the contrary, thanks to the advice given, you only want to do your best and this shows into your work. The tasks given to me were challenging; getting bored is not possible in PPES ! The variety of work I was able to do in quite a short amount of time was a plus, working from designing future posters, making the 2017 calendar, creating different communication material, taking charge of the social media platforms (Linkedin, Pinterest, Google Business, …) brought me a lot of valuable experiences. I also got the chance to work for fundraising and marketing. Despite not having worked in this fields before, I was trusted and this showed in my work.
