Name: Juliet Sandler
Social Justice Group: 2022-2023, Girls Access to Education Globally
Date of Fieldwork: February 15, 2023
Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):The Women’s Education Project
Type of Fieldwork: Interview
What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork?:
On February 15th, My group mates and I sat down with Zoe Timms to talk about girls in India who are currently being restricted from attending school. Zoe Timms attended Wisconsin university. While sitting in one of her classes a professor asked if anyone would like to study abroad in India. She raised her hand impulsively, and that one decision altered her life.
founded in 2002, Women Education Project has the fundamental belief that the decisions made by a self-reliant, informed, and skilled woman effect lasting positive changes in her life, her family, her community and society as a whole. By getting an education, Women’s Education Project teaches these girls what it truly means to have multiple babies and get married at a young age, and how they don’t have to follow their families wishes.
We also heard a personal story. in the late 90’s, when Zoe was 20 years old, she taught English to young Indian girls at a local school. When her class was over she would dismiss the girls to their next class which was karate. One day, she dismissed the class but one girl stayed behind. When Zoe asked why she wasn’t with the rest of the girls, the young girl pointed down to her leg. She had polio. Zoe felt badly and was extremely apologetic. A few days later, teaching the same class, she dismissed them and the girl with polio went to her next class. After Karate was over she went running up to Zoe and was overjoyed because had tried. That’s when Zoe saw her dedicated and hardworking all of these girls are, and how they deserve so much more than what the have.
Also with Zoe Timms, we set up a zoom call we are going to have with girls our age who are living in India, living the reality. Zoe Timms told us about how home life can be a sensitive topic, and how they come from extremely conservative backgrounds.
