Children at camp in rural Andhra Pradesh, India.
University of Wyoming students are raising funds to help some underprivileged children in India stay in school.
The students met the 10-12 year old girls at a camp in rural Andhra Pradesh, India, while on an overseas course last winter, says Jenny Clay, an international studies and women's studies major at UW.
"The students were moved to tears after hearing their stories of being field laborers and abused servants," she says.
The UW students, aligned with the student organizations the Women's Action Network and Milaap (Indian students organization), have started the Keep Girls in School Project. They are arranging activities to raise money so that the MV Foundation,(an anti-child labor organization that rescued the girls) can continue to help the girls at school camps.
The goal is to raise $3,000, thus enabling 10 more girls to attend the school camp for a year. Henna tattoos and bindis will be sold at the Diwali celebration, Saturday, Oct. 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the UW Fine Arts building. Other fundraising activities are planned.
This January, another group of students will get to meet the girls and plan to hand the money personally to the camp supervisor. As international studies major, Jahna Locke, says, "A sacrifice of one latte keeps a girl in school for two days. Who can turn their hearts away from helping kids? I can't wait to go to India and send a message of hope and encouragement from the UW campus and the town of Laramie."
For more information, or to schedule an interview contact Clay at (703) 298-5908, e-mail jenclay@uwyo.edu; or Professor Bonnie Zare, (307) 399-6281 or bzare@uwyo.edu.
