During the summer 2016 Farhana Hamid Butt received a vacation scholarship from the Warwick Multicultural Scholars’ Programme and volunteered with Global Vision International (GVI) on a women's empowerment project in Kerala, India.

‘I took part in planning lessons, teaching English to women and girls, as well as engaging with individuals marginalised by society, including abused teenaged girls. I worked with the members of the Women's Initiative Network (WIN), which is a women's group established to support widows who are shunned and face the threat of being burnt subsequent to the death of their husbands. They assist women by providing micro loans and provide educational scholarships to those coming from deprived backgrounds. Teaching WIN staff English served the purpose of giving the women confidence in order that they too be able to teach in return, as well as opening other doors for the women by which they can expand their network and hence increase the impact of their work. The women claimed to have equality in society; however their notion of equality was in stark contrast to the view of equality held by many here in England.

I also volunteered at a school for children with a wide range of disabilities. The head-teacher requested that I deliver a presentation on the importance of independence to a group of students who were training to become Special Educational Needs teachers. I was also asked to speak to a very anxious mother whose 3 year old child was blind and who was very concerned about his options in the future.

I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to volunteer abroad. Following my positive experience, I am open to the idea of traveling independently in the future. Not only did this opportunity allow me to gain an insight into another culture which I enjoyed immensely, I am also delighted to have been able to contribute to teaching English, as well as raising awareness about disabilities’.