Hand in Hand, Kancheepuram

Kancheepuram (2 hrs south of Chennai) is the name of the village where Swedish NGO, Hand in Hand, has its main hub and where I have been hanging out the past week, absorbing everything there is to know about micro loans, women empowerment and child labour elimination.

For those of you who haven’t heard of the organisation, Hand in Hand is founded by Percy Barnevik (former CEO of ABB) and has been operating in Tamil Nadu (southern tip of India) since 1998. What started out as a small village project, has in just a few years, expanded into a global organisation (India, Afghanistan, South Africa) with over 22.000 employees and volunteers.

I contacted Hand in Hand (HiH) first thing upon my arrival in India. Knowing that I wanted to gain work experience with a NGO, I contacted MANY organizations, however HiH was the only one that after – ok, a lot of persistence from my side), invited me to visit the head office and the villages in which they operate in Tamil Nadu and do some case studies on the various programs that they run. Seems strange to me that it’ should be so difficult to volunteer. I mean that’s just it VOLUNTEER. I pay for my own travel and work for free. Of course once here in Tamil Nadu, HiH put me up with bed and board so I am very thankful!

But most of all I am thankful for the rich experiences and amazing impressions I am getting here. From the ever so beautiful and happy village children (whom many have been taken out of child labor and put in to school thanks to HiH), to the entrepreneurial skills and drive amongst traditionally unskilled and unenlightened rural Indian women, and last but not least the two lovely Swedish interns that I have gotten to know here, Ebba and Gustav. In fact the three of us are heading down to Pondicherry and Auroville for the weekend – but that is of course a different story all together..

By co-incidence I also met with HiH International Director, Leni Söderberg, who happened to be visiting over a few days. It turns out that it is indeed a very small world as over dinner when talking, it pops out that she is a friend of my boss (BTS CEO, Henrik Ekelund), whom she is having lunch this coming Sunday. Madness. Pure madness. There I am, in the middle of the nowhere fighting the heat and dust, having dinner with a few people I’ve just met and turns out that we already have friends in common. Small small world. Of course dinner turned in to a long spin of opportunities that perhaps I will be able to share with you in the future.. We shall see!

Pictures from the past few days!

Leaving Chennai (gladly..)

Hand in Hand's headquarters in Kancheepuram

First stop was visiting a resedential boys school, sponsored by HiH

Hyperactive children are tought yoga and meditation. Imagine a Western child sitting down like this during school hours? Don't think so. We may teach the Indians, but we also have plenty to learn from them..

Digital cameras are hugely popular

Sheela recieved a micro loan and opened up a bakery - today very succesful with nine employees

and yummy too!

HiH sponsors a 2 month tailor training for women between 18-30 yrs old

Tali -traditional south indian lunch

Training to become a beautician is also very popular amongst indian girls