22 students from the University are participating in an international cooperation " project " in New Delhi

A group of 22 students from the University of Navarra ( group ) traveled to New Delhi, India, this summer to collaborate with the organizations Kamalini and Mera Parivar, which are dedicated to the training of low-income women and the Education of children in status vulnerable situations. The initiative included the participation of female students from various Schools.

During their stay, the volunteers—residents of the Goimendi and Jaizkibel dormitories—organized themselves into groups that rotated between the two NGOs. At Kamalini, a learning center for women, they participated in courses on sewing, computer skills, hairdressing, and English. Thanks to this training, many of the women gain the knowledge and tools that enable them to access job opportunities or even start their own businesses.

Cayetana Marhuenda, a medical student, was one of the participants in the “ project.” “We all shared the same mindset before traveling: to let the country surprise us, to confront any prejudices we might have, and to give our best wherever we found ourselves. Beyond the destination, what mattered was the opportunity to learn, share, and do our part,” she says. What impressed her most was seeing how a group of local people had managed to build solid projects, with multiple locations and a significant impact on their community, earning the trust of those who need it most: “Seeing how they help so many people—especially women—by offering them learning opportunities and access to the workforce made me appreciate even more something we often take for granted: the right to Education and the chance to build a future independently.”

At Mera Parivar, the work focused on supporting children without access to Education. The organization runs outdoor schools in areas of extreme poverty. Susana Domingo, a former student in the Business Administration and Business Management and Strategy programs, explains: “Our role was to provide support: we helped with whatever the NGO’s team needed on a daily basis, from distributing food to the children to talking with the mothers and assisting in the classrooms,” she says.

Susana was already particularly curious about the country before her trip: “India has always interested me because of its stark social and cultural contrasts. It seemed like a unique opportunity to get to know such a different country and, at the same time, to do my part,” she says. What stands out most from the experience is the contrast between material poverty and generosity: “The biggest lesson was seeing how people who have very little materially go out of their way for others and are constantly concerned about the well-being of those around them.”

Cayetana, for her part, is struck by the warmth of the welcome: "I've discovered a country that is surprisingly well-organized despite its apparent chaos and, above all, people with an enormous capacity to welcome and care for those who come from outside."