India Service Project
The India Service Project is an annual service project in Rajasthan, India. During March Break, students are immersed in rural Indian culture while participating in meaningful service-learning. The India 2015 service trip is full. Please see Mr. Jacoby or Ms. Chamberlin for information about India 2016. Read below for a more detailed account of this life-changing experience.
India 2013 - Video by Patrick Hewson
India 2012
The India 2012 Service Project which took place during March Break was a huge success! Sixteen senior students, accompanied by Meg Chamberlin and Andrew Shirkoff, spent two weeks in the Kumbalgarh region of Rajasthan building a foundation for a new school building. The Collingwood students made fast friends with their younger Indian counterparts, and they worked incredibly hard to accomplish a great deal in such a short time. Along with their build days, our students also had the opportunity to visit the City Palace in Udaipur, ride camels along the shores of Lake Fatehsagar, shop at the city market and Rajasthan art school, and visit the Ranakpur and Jagdish Temples.
Here is an account of the experience, written by Lexi Macdonald ('12) and Andrew Overholt ('12):
After a long journey we finally arrived in Udaipur, India. As we drove to Barind, the community in which we would be volunteering, we noticed many cultural differences that were quite shocking. The distribution of wealth in India was evidently uneven. As we drove through the busy streets, swerving to avoid cows, monkeys, people and even an elephant we noticed the bright colours and overwhelming sights, smells and sounds.
The following day we attended the opening ceremonies put on by the local community. Initially the children in the community were afraid of us, as we were the first foreign volunteers to visit the community, however, we were welcomed with the elaborate events of the opening ceremonies and became closer with the children as the day progressed.
The main purpose of the trip was to build the foundation of a new school in Barind. It was extremely strenuous work, yet it was rewarding to know that we would be providing the children with an opportunity to receive a better education. On one of the cultural days we were able to experience ‘a day in the life of…’ a young woman in India. We were welcomed into the small mud home of a 17-year old woman who had given birth to a son when she was only 14 years old and had been married through an arranged marriage at the age of 12. She told us about her daily routine (feeding her cattle, making food etc) and we joined her for a water walk, which was not as easy as it looked! This was an extremely eye opening experience for all of us as it demonstrated to us just how different life is for people of the same age in other areas of the world.
A definite highlight for everyone on this trip was being able to spend time with the local children while we were at the build site. Despite the language barrier, we were all able to interact and play. The children who had been so afraid of us were all waving goodbye and chasing after our cars when we left Barind for the last time. These children live in poverty and have no school books, pens or pencils - yet they were all so happy. Their teacher explained to us that after seeing us work so hard at the build site they were motivated to work harder in school, which was very inspiring for all of us.
Overall our experience in India with Me to We was incredible - from the hard physical labour in a local community to riding a camel along the shores of Lake Fatehsagar! India was an extraordinary trip for all of us and we will all remember the people and the amazing times we experienced in India for the rest of our lives.
Lexi Macdonald ('12) and Andrew Overholt ('12)
After a long journey we finally arrived in Udaipur, India. As we drove to Barind, the community in which we would be volunteering, we noticed many cultural differences that were quite shocking. The distribution of wealth in India was evidently uneven. As we drove through the busy streets, swerving to avoid cows, monkeys, people and even an elephant we noticed the bright colours and overwhelming sights, smells and sounds.
The following day we attended the opening ceremonies put on by the local community. Initially the children in the community were afraid of us, as we were the first foreign volunteers to visit the community, however, we were welcomed with the elaborate events of the opening ceremonies and became closer with the children as the day progressed.
The main purpose of the trip was to build the foundation of a new school in Barind. It was extremely strenuous work, yet it was rewarding to know that we would be providing the children with an opportunity to receive a better education. On one of the cultural days we were able to experience ‘a day in the life of…’ a young woman in India. We were welcomed into the small mud home of a 17-year old woman who had given birth to a son when she was only 14 years old and had been married through an arranged marriage at the age of 12. She told us about her daily routine (feeding her cattle, making food etc) and we joined her for a water walk, which was not as easy as it looked! This was an extremely eye opening experience for all of us as it demonstrated to us just how different life is for people of the same age in other areas of the world.
A definite highlight for everyone on this trip was being able to spend time with the local children while we were at the build site. Despite the language barrier, we were all able to interact and play. The children who had been so afraid of us were all waving goodbye and chasing after our cars when we left Barind for the last time. These children live in poverty and have no school books, pens or pencils - yet they were all so happy. Their teacher explained to us that after seeing us work so hard at the build site they were motivated to work harder in school, which was very inspiring for all of us.
Overall our experience in India with Me to We was incredible - from the hard physical labour in a local community to riding a camel along the shores of Lake Fatehsagar! India was an extraordinary trip for all of us and we will all remember the people and the amazing times we experienced in India for the rest of our lives.
Lexi Macdonald ('12) and Andrew Overholt ('12)