Interns' Diary: Sanne Bakker
- Name: Sanne Bakker
- Age: 26
- Nationality: Dutch
- Studying: MA in Humanitarian Action at the University of Groningen
- Case Study: Institutional and community-based care of orphaned children due to HIV/AIDS
- Institute: Roda Mistry School of Social Work and Research, Hyderabad, Andra Pradesh
June 23, 2006
On Friday June 16, we arrived in Hyderabad where we were very warmly welcomed by our supervisor from the host institute. She introduced us to the staff and showed us the guest house. The institute is situated on the border of the city and has a beautiful surrounding. Our view from the guest house is a lake surrounded by rocks and inhabited by several species of birds. People from the institute take good care of us, and they are forthcoming with regard to our wishes. The only thing which is a disadvantage is the fact that the institute is remotely located. It is, for example, difficult to do some shopping or to go to the city centre. Nevertheless, during the weekends we are able to see Hyderabad city. We have gone to a huge fort and we also visited Ramoji film city during the weekends.
July 3, 2006
For the last two weeks we have been reading a lot of background literature and we made are start setting up our tools. I noticed that we all have different ways of working and that we have to communicate a lot to come to an effective way of cooperation.
Last Friday, we had our first field visit in Hyderabad. Our supervisor from the institute wanted us to get to know a local NGO first before visiting the three NGOs assigned by Unicef. The visit was really great! We started interviewing the very passionate director of the orphanage. He gave up his job to be fully dedicated to this orphanage. There are 10 orphans aged 8-13 in the house which is a property of his uncle. After the interview, we met the children and sat in a circle with them. The kids were all very sweet, disciplined and polite. We did some icebreakers and brought a cake and some sweets as rewards. I was very touched by the meeting. According to me, the children are being treated very affectionately by the employees.
July 8, 2006
Yesterday, we went on a second exposure field visit. The organization was a home for children who were victims of child trafficking. We met approximately 80 girls aged 3-16 wanting to touch us, and calling Sascha and I ‘auntie’ and ‘uncle’. I was really impressed by meeting these girls. The organization was quite big, part of it is the ‘enterprise’ where older girls make tables, notebooks and carpets which they sell on the market. One of the aims of the organization is to become self-sustainable by means of selling their own made products.
Right now, I am going to work a bit and finish the day watching the final of the world cup!
