After receiving some sponsorship from SI Mansfield, Eleanor fulfilled her promise to speak about her journey to India. President Diane welcomed and introduced, Eleanor, who gave us a short power point presentation of her experience earlier this year in India.
Eleanor spent 3 months in the Tamil Nadu region of India, as a youth volunteer with the Charity, ‘Restless Development’ part of a U.K. backed scheme, International Citizens Service.
Eleanor told us she suffered, culture shock++, having left a privileged home life, she found herself responsible for her own washing,(in a bucket!’, getting meals ready,(mainly rice),sleeping on the floor in,(rooms of mixed sex and nationality),bare feet indoors only,(allowing the monkeys to steal her Birkenstocks!).
Eleanor amongst several other volunteers, was hospitalised with dehydration caused by stomach upsets, but assured us she soon recovered, after receiving intravenous fluids.
In essence, her message was very positive, she valued the opportunity to meet and work with people from a very different culture, and spoke passionately about the need to support all girls to be able to access education. She particularly enjoyed working with girls in secondary education during International Women’s week, finding the drop out rate around a third, due to menstrual issues, child marriage and gender inequality