8/15/2005 - Namaste! AFS Returns to India
This August, after a long absence, AFS returned to India. The historic occasion was marked by the departure of two groups of students, the first participants in an AFS program from India in nearly two decades. A total of 42 students will have participated in outreach programs in India in 2005-06. Among the host countries that welcomed the students last week are Norway and the United States, who received 2 and 35 students respectively. In September, 2 participants will head out to Switzerland and 1 participant will travel to Italy, and in early 2006, 2 additional Indian students will head out to Japan.
This has been an auspicious reintroduction of AFS in India and a welcome and long awaited return for the organization, which had a presence there from 1962 to 1977 and for a few years in the 1980s. During that time, AFS sponsored more that 700 exchanges to and from India.
Encompassing a truly Network-wide effort, the return of AFS to India has been made possible by many of our worldwide Partners and with the assistance and coordination of AFS International. Among those who have provided extraordinary assistance in this effort are Keri Dooley and AFS USA sponsored programs staff. Partners who have been actively assisting in the planning, support, knowledge sharing and training for the effort include India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland and Germany. Volunteers and staff from AFS Partners in Malaysia, Indonesia, United States and International have provided assistance with participant selection and orientation events and many other Partners have expressed interest in hosting and supporting Indian participants. The significant support offered by AFS Partners worldwide has been enhanced by the generous funding provided by the U.S. Department of State under the Partnerships for Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES). Funding has also been secured from an AFS alumnus from India.
Our two special consultants and volunteers in India, Elisabeth and Ashish Khokar are new additions to the local AFS team. Elisabeth is an AFS returnee (64-65 USA to Sweden) who has been living abroad since her AFS experience and in India for almost 20 years. She has had a long career as a consultant for various NGOs and cultural agencies, most working for H&M International in the Corporate Social Responsibility and Environment Department. Ashish is a noted art and cultural critic and a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). He has over 20 years of active, wide-ranging experience in the planning, implementation, fund-raising and management of Indian cultural activities and projects.
Now that almost all of the Indian AFS students have departed much remains to be done as we return to the work of planning for next year and beyond. Among the priorities for the AFS India team is to reconnect with returnees from India who currently reside not only in their country of origin, but all over the world. This returnee base is composed of many accomplished individuals whose interaction with AFS will hopefully enrich and complement our current efforts in India. AFS will continue to develop the program with the help of the international work team composed of the many Partners who have contributed to this effort and with our consultants in India, expanding on the inroads made to date and building a solid volunteer base, first and foremost.
All of us at AFS who have contributed to the success of our reintroduction to India are confident that with our team in place in the field, and with support of our Network, incredible things are ahead for India for the advancement of the values and the mission of AFS in this world area.
—Melissa Liles—Melissa is the Acting Director for AFS India Programs and the Associate Director for Business Development at AFS International
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