I've luckily been chosen to travel to South India next summer with the UCDVO society. I'll be involved in working on an education and community development programme in a children's orphanage in Vijayawada with twenty-four other volunteers.
UCDVO established a partnership with the international NGO Care and Share which run two 'Children's Villages' for over one thousand children who have been orphaned or abandoned as a result of HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty. Each year, volunteers live with the children for one month and organise youth clubs, sports camps, and health education workshops as well as awareness raising campaigns.
Andhra Pradesh, one of 28 states in India, is located along the south-eastern coast. It is the country's 4th-largest state by area and 5th-largest by population, with more than 75 million people. In the late 1990s, Andhra Pradesh was relatively poor and in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Its per-person income was about US$385, nearly 22% of its population was below the poverty line, and 40% of its primary school-age children were out of school.
Andhra Pradesh in many ways reflects the development crisis of the country at large. The agricultural community seemingly remain unaffected by the otherwise impressive growth vis-à-vis a growing IT industry and increasing private sector investments in power, road infrastructure and industry; rural/urban disparities mean access to and quality of basic services in health, nutrition, education and sanitation for many, remain poor.
I would be extremely grateful for any donation you could contribute to my target. All donations big and small are very much appreciated and will all go towards continuing the development of the Care and Share organisation in South India.
Thank you again for your kind generosity!
Well done to all involved,amazing work!