Niswarth Service-Learning Program Begins India Adventure; Follow Their Blog

June 19, 2008 — Six students, accompanied by faculty, on June 14 began their intensive service-learning program to learn more about development in India. The three-week program, called “Niswarth” which is the Hindi word for “Non Sibi,” will partner with students and faculty from the Udayachal School in Vikhroli, a suburb of Mumbai.

Students will share their experiences in a blog from Mumbai that will be updated regularly. To access the Niswarth blog, please click here.

Phillips Academy and Udayachal students will work together with faculty to support non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who work with orphans, street children and students from slums in after school programs in Mumbai. In addition to fieldwork, students will visit communities in Mumbai and rural areas, interview Indian government officials and CEOs, engage in discussions related to social justice and study India’s development.

Hosting the PA and Udachayal teams are alumnus Navroze Godrej ’01 and his parents, who have supported Andover programs in India for many years.

All students also will be required to write an academic paper related to their experiences. This paper will be written after the program, with guidance from a faculty member, and will be presented to the Andover community during the 2008-9 school year. Raj Mundra, assistant dean of the Office of Community and Multicultural Development (CAMD) and instructor in biology, founded the program and is leading the project with assistance from Community Service Teaching Fellow Alana Rush.