Educating girls in rural India prevents child sex trafficking

As I prepare to return to Pardada Pardadi Educational Society, located in one of the poorest rural regions of India, I’d like to share the progress we have made since 2010.  Raising a village out of poverty begins with educating, empowering and employing girls and women.   Our volunteer experience has grown beyond what we could ever have imagined, and has become a medical, educational and economic whirlwind due to the generosity of local residents and organizations.

Girls from the village of Annupshar, have long been sold into sex trafficking, under the guise of marriage. Girls are considered an economic burden by their parents. Older men come to the village wanting to “marry” their daughters, paying as little as $25 for the girl.  Last year, one family sold their five daughters, ages 2-12, for $135. Child marriages, usually between age 12 and 14, are common and an issue that the school is working hard to stop. Incentives are provided to encourage  families to send their girls to school. Students are paid 10 rupees/day for daily attendance,provided with 3 meals a day, transportation, uniforms, shoes, textbooks and health care. 

Pardada  Pardadi was founded in 2000, by Sam Singh, the first Indian born man to be hired by the DuPont Company,  in 1963. He lived in the Wilmington area for most of his career. Upon retirement as head of DuPont India, he returned to his ancestral village to fulfill his lifelong dream of improving the lives of girls and women. Girls had never before attended school. Illiteracy is 70%.  The average family income is $14/month. Initially, Sam was met with great resistance and death threats, as villagers felt threatened by him wanting to educate their daughters.  Having met with over 1000 families, the school  opened  with 45 girls. By the end of the first year, 15 remained. Today, 1300 girls attend the school.  4000 are on a waiting list.    

While living and working daily at Pardada Pardadi, we experienced daily challenges and difficulties that are a part of life in this rural village.  Everything in rural India is the exact opposite from life in the US. The garbage, stench, constant noise, dirt and wild animals roaming everywhere required adjustments on our part.  Children rummage through piles of garbage, competing with buffalo, dogs, moneys  and pigs for what food they might find. At dusk, the sight of an older person sitting and scooping water out of a muddy street puddle to drink, is forever etched in my mind.   

During our 5 months at PPES in 2010, we started a hygiene program, teaching girls to brush their teeth and wash with soap. Both of these activities were new for most  students.  Since that time, the girls brush their teeth and wash with soap daily at school. As a result, illness has been significantly reduced.   Mike was able to connect the school to the internet, introducing the staff and students to the world beyond the village. While teaching art, I introduced colored paper(only white had been used until 2010!) and the concept of hanging student artwork on the school walls(until then, only teacher’s art was displayed in the school). We taught English classes, as well. Hindu is the language spoken in the village, so the school is anxious for students and staff alike to learn English.  

Upon our return to the US in 2011, we had no plans to India return to India again.  Though we found the experience to be incredibly worthwhile, we were worn down by limited electricity, water, internet access, the heat, and conditions related to dire poverty.  After a few months of struggling with reverse culture shock, I knew we needed to go back. While the conditions we faced living in the village diminished, we really missed the 1100 girls who we grew to love.  Knowing we were able to make a real difference in their lives, as well as the school, Mike and I eventually knew what we needed to do next. 

There is no health care in this village region of 180,000.  Our girls had no access to health care.  We began plans to build a Health Center at the school. In October of 2012, we headed back to India to open the new Health Center and hire a school nurse.  We took 150 lbs. of medical supplies donated by Missions Relief in Coatesville to stock the center.  For the next two months, I worked as school nurse, until the nurse that we hired was able to move to the village.   The health center has proven a great success, with an average of 100 girls a week visiting for health care.   

While we were in India, Mike applied to International Medical Relief, based in Colorado.   IMR has been sending medical teams to impoverished areas throughout the world for 12 years.  Upon our return to the US, we learned that our application was the one out of 100 they accepted.   For the next six months, we worked with IMR and the school to plan the trip. Last June, I accompanied the team of 22 US medical professionals to the school, and had the opportunity to witness the impact of lack of hygiene and health care on over 2500 villagers during six days of medical camps, in 110 degree heat and monsoon rains. 

During the week, I shadowed   a pediatrician, who diagnosed a new case of polio in a little boy. The child’s father was heartbroken, as he explained that his son had received one vaccination against polio. What he did not know, as is the case for most villagers, is that his son needed four doses.  This was the third child I have met in the village with polio. During the clinics, the team saw many malnourished, dying babies, as well as so many medical issues we will never see in the US. Health education seminars were held throughout the week, teaching villagers about good hygiene, hand washing and clean water.  Due to the success of the trip, IMR will be returning to the school again in June, 2014.Volunteers are still needed for this trip. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mary for information. 

I will be returning to the school on March 27, along with two doctors from Baltimore, who will be running dermatology clinics for the girls and their families. Skin infections and diseases are rampant, primarily due to lack of sanitation. We recently hired two doctors, who will come to the school one day a week to provide medical care.  One doctor is a woman gynecologist, who has been most welcomed by the girls and their mothers. 

On this trip I will be taking along undies for all of the girls, which have been donated by the local community.  Last June, I took over 1000 bras, which were collected for the girls and women of the village. Living in dire poverty, these basic necessities are considered luxuries.  The girls were thrilled to receive bras, and asked that I bring undies when I returned.  

Our next dream is to build a Medical Clinic for women and children of the village.  $35,000 is needed for this project to become another reality.  Having made incredible strides since our introduction to life in rural India, we hope that the funding for the center is raised, so that it can be built by 2015.  To support to the school, sponsor students and support the Health and Hygiene program financial donations are needed.  To learn more about Pardada Pardadi,  to donate or learn about volunteer opportunities, or to schedule a speaking engagement, call Mary Cairns at 610-444-2139.  Or visit the school website at education4change.org.