Life-changing internship
OUR STUDENTS | Inspired by Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s impassioned book on the oppression of women and girls in the developing world, Olivia Blythe, EHD17, AS17, had one goal for her internship abroad: to help others.
That’s just what she did as an intern for New Light, a nonprofit grassroots organization that provides job opportunities and health and social services to sex workers in India.
For one month last summer, Blythe, a double major in human services and women and gender studies, applied her educational background to hands-on work with children of those working in the red light districts of Kolkata, India.
She led them in yoga and meditation and had gender roles conversations with the young boys. “We deconstructed the social norms of being a woman or a man in India and discussed how social expectations limit who we can be and how we express ourselves.”
Blythe and the children created a poster about how people should be treated. “I had a wonderful time doing this exercise,” she says. “Afterward, they described women as kind, educated and strong, and men as gentle, smart and family oriented.”
Although Blythe is now home from her adventure, she is still in contact with New Light, continuing to help them build awareness and encouraging others to get involved.
The organization, which promotes gender equality through education and life-skill training to reduce harm caused by violence and abuse to women and young children, has made a profound difference in Blythe’s own worldview.
“I hope to do service work for the rest of my life.”
