AFS India Newsletter | March 2023

Photo Credit: AFS Year Program Host Students 2022-23 from Thailand - Siphaphat Piyachotinun (Indore Public School, Indore) & Aphissara Chewprecha (Punjab Public School, Nabha)

LEADERSHIP

Joseph Kuok, Board Member

Joseph Kuok’s alma maters have been St. Columba’s School, New Delhi and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. He completed Master in Business Economics from Delhi University. He served in the Customs and Central Excise Department under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India and attained superannuation as an Indian Revenue Service Officer.

His lifelong passion has been his love for sports. He represents India at various international championships. He won a Bronze medal in Water Polo at the 1982 IXth Asian Games held in New Delhi. He continued to represent India at the World Masters

Swimming Championships held in Budapest, Hungary 2017 and Gwangju, Korea 2019 He is the Vice President of the Delhi Swimming Association, Treasurer of the Cerebral Palsy Sports Federation of India (CPSFI) and Secretary of the Delhi Cerebral Palsy Association.

Joseph has been volunteering with AFS India since 2005, when his son went on the YES Program to the USA. He has been on AFS India Board since 2014. Between February to November 2022, his support for AFS India as National Director for an interim period is commendable.

Based on his experience of volunteering with AFS India since 2005, he summarizes the impact AFS has had on him...

'Having studied in two great institutions in my formative years, embedded in me the concept of volunteerism at an early age. For years, I have been volunteering for the sports associations, YMCA Delhi and the church community.

Volunteering with AFS is an altogether different experience. It provided me with a unique opportunity to engage with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Initially, for me, it was more challenging for the simple reason that we were dealing with teenagers from all over the world. The children look up to you as a parent, guardian, mentor and a person whom they can fall back on in any kind of situation. These interactions have evolved my perspective in numerous ways and have a significant impact on me as an individual as well as on my family Firstly, I understood my children better and became openminded to their dreams

Empathy and tolerance, which we find lacking and deteriorating in the current world atmosphere, are other aspects that volunteering has helped me enhance due to a better understanding of different cultures and ways of life. Hence, it promotes a more peaceful and interconnected world.'

'Volunteering developed my skills - communication, problem-solving, collaboration and leadership. It has definitely made a positive difference in both my personal and professional careers.​'

CHAPTER-SCHOOL

AFS Chapter - Bangalore

AFS Chapter - Bangalore organized an eventful two-day gathering at Hotel Chancery, Lavelle Road. The activities commenced with AFS India Board Meeting on 23 February 2023; followed by the ‘Glocalization of AFS’, a Table Talk with the peace seekers (volunteers & invited Principal) on 24 February 2023. Led by Ms Angela Roye, AFS India Board Chair, the engaging sessions involved Board Members, Principals, School Owners, Coordinators, and AFS volunteers. The attendees had the chance to question and suggest future AFS learning events

Various sessions were organized covering topics such as the impact of AFS exchange programs on students and parents, as well as the integration of AFS intercultural values into daily school activities. Structured brainstorming and information exchange generated a wide array of ideas and recommendations for future activities and learning events.

Leveraging the existing volunteers, efforts were made to recruit new volunteers in South India, aiming to strengthen AFS in the region.

Continuing their endeavors, Ms. Diya Badgel, AFS India National Director and Ms. Vasudha Tavag, a volunteer from Bangalore embarked on a visit to Madurai, Karaikudi, Coimbatore and Ooty. Their itinerary included visits to existing AFS schools and meetings with potential new AFS partners The inauguration of the AFS Chapter - Madurai represented a significant milestone in expanding AFS's reach and impact in the region.

S. No​. Organization/School

1 AFS Chapter​ - Bangalore

2 AFS Chapter​ - Chennai

3 AFS Chapter​ - Madurai

4 AFS Chapter​ - Vadodara

5 Amrit Vidyalaya, Vadodara​

6 Bringleverse (Bringle Metaverse School)​, Bangalore​

7 Chaitanya Group​, Hyderabad

8 Chalasani Education Trust, Bangalore

9 Chettinad Public School​, Karaikudi​

10 Deccan International School, Bangalore

11 Edutive Private Limited​, Bangalore

12 Global City International School, Bangalore

13 Indira Priyadarshini School, Bangalore

14 L' 'ecole Chempaka​, Thiruvananthapuram

15 Shree Sarasswathi Vidhyaah Mandheer​, Coimbatore​

16 SSVM World School​, Coimbatore​

17 The Emerald International School​, Indore​

18 Valistus International School, Bangalore

19 Vidyashilp University​, Bangalore

20 Vydehi School of Excellence​, Bangalore

YEARS OF 5

Asia Kakehashi Project Japan 2018-2023 (Sponsored)

In 2017, the Government of Japan invested in expanding educational exchanges in Asia. The Asia Kakehashi Project was launched by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017 with the objective of strengthening relations between Japan and 20 other Asian countries. The project provided full scholarships for Asian high school students to live and study in Japan.

AFS Japan had been appointed by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to implement a new scholarship program. The program, called Kakehashi (Japanese for “building bridges”), was initiated to provide full scholarships for 1,000 Asian high school students to study in Japan’s public and private high schools over the next five years.

Over the past five years, through this program, a total of 974 Asian high school students from the following 21 countries had the opportunity to study at 298 high schools in 47 prefectures across Japan.

Bangladesh​ Cambodia​ India​ Laos​ Mongolia​ Pakistan​ Thailand​

Bhutan​ China​ Indonesia​ Malaysia​ Myanmar​ Philippines Turkey​

Brunei​ Hongkong​ Korea​ Maldives​ Nepal​ Sri Lanka​ Vietnam​

AFS India was responsible for recruiting deserving candidates from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and Maldives. Between 2018 – 2022, AFS India expanded its reach to 5 neighboring countries to screen, select and orient the participants and sending parents.

Number of countries

Number of Participants

Number of Schools

Number of Cities 6 145 128 52

5 5 4

Total Students 13 28 28 37 39

The Asia Kakehashi Project has been a resounding success in promoting mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation between Japan and the participating countries. The program has helped to build bridges between people from different cultures and backgrounds and has fostered lifelong friendships and ties.

The program has enabled the participating students to gain valuable experiences, skills, and perspectives, and has turned them into leaders of positive change in their communities. The Asia Kakehashi Project is a shining example of how educational and cultural exchange programs can have a transformative impact on individuals and societies.

‘I firmly believe that participating in an exchange program is one of the most effective ways to advance humanity and develop into a global citizen ’

‘It was a beautiful experience sharing a bond with the people of my school dormitory (Kumon International Jr.-Sr. High School), one of Japan's finest schools’

Alif-Al-Abdullah, Bangladesh (2021-22)

‘The support that I got from AFS Japan during any problems needs to be appreciated. So, I can say that I'm content with my exchange program in Japan and I'm grateful to AFS for giving this once in a lifetime opportunity to me. ’

‘My exchange journey has seen all kinds of phases be it happiness or sorrow My journey has been more like a roller coaster ride which taught me so many life lessons which I cannot put into words.’

Studying abroad as an exchange student is about sharing your culture, beliefs, values and learning theirs. It taught me life-long lessons and gave me a lot of experiences. Having spent almost a year in Japan during the exchange, allowed me to think out of the box and think deeply about what I desire to achieve in the future.

Samikasha Patel, Jabalpur (2018-19)

Kushagra Kelly, Varanasi (2019-20)

Vanshika Garg, Assam (2021-22)

Madhu Rajpurohit, Surat (2022-23)

VOLUNTEERS ARE

Sabita Kotenkar,

Volunteer AFS Chapter - Mumbai

In 2007, I joined AFS as a volunteer, inspired by my friend who had gone to Japan through the organization. I spent a year learning about AFS and its exchange programs, amazed to discover that volunteers worldwide are the bloodline of AFS I began by promoting the KL YES program in schools and engaging with parents and aspiring students. Convincing them to send their children to an unfamiliar country was a significant responsibility, but witnessing their transformative experiences made it worthwhile. I began my volunteering efforts by promoting the KL YES program in various schools alongside fellow volunteers.

Finding host families willing to open their homes for international students was challenging, however, being a part of their cultural transformations has been immensely gratifying Training as a counselor in 2011 provided fresh perspectives and improved my ability to assist and understand the students.

I had the opportunity to visit Germany twice as a volunteer. The first visit involved creating a handbook on Indian culture for students and volunteers. The second visit, part of a reciprocal exchange program, allowed me to interact with German students and share our culture and experiences. I received training in ICL W level and Level 1 and served on the Volunteer Strategic Planning Committee and the Volunteer Think Tank

In 2014, I was fortunate to be part of the AFS Centennial Celebration in Paris, witnessing the global AFS community come together. My work at AFS aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on education, hygiene, sanitation, and serving the underserved. I strive to make a difference through community service programs in Kakelao, Indore, and Gandhinagar

Being recognized with the AAI (AFS Asia-Pacific Initiative) Award in 2020 filled me with gratitude. As the President of the Mumbai Chapter, I am dedicated to navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic and ensuring the Chapter's resilience. Through my 15-year journey with AFS, I have gained invaluable experiences and cherished friendships. I urge those blessed with a passion for learning to become volunteers and become agents of positive change.

SPONSORED

All about my life in US

Mirudhula Karuppaian Chettinad Public School, Karaikudi

After the new year began, there were many happenings and learnings in my exchange year journey I made a lot of new friends and also joined the badminton club, where I attended a few matches and tournaments. With changes in my accent and wearing typical American teenage clothes, I feel like I have started to mingle with the culture. I feel like I've become a more social person recently. I've gone on a few biotech field trips and met the mayor of the city during one of them. We also went on an adventurous trip to San Francisco in February where my host family and I had tons of fun.

Overall, I'm really glad I signed up for YES program and would miss this when I go back home

Mirudhula Karuppaian, AFS YES Program USA 2022-23

SENDING

Param Goel, AFS Year Program 2022-23 Italy (EHIS Indore)

My experience of 4 months in Italy has been like “turmoil” I remember the struggle of first few days as it was very difficult to communicate, but now, I can say that there is a world of difference I have never enjoyed myself like this before, as I’m right now pretty much prominent in my school, in the area where I live, and also with the people that I come across every day! It has been amazing to share and listen to ideas and thoughts of the people I have met here about India, our religion and our culture. When I started this journey, it was a bit difficult for me, as I did not have a grip on the language but with time, I have been able to manage things quite smoothly. Initially, when I was doing my presentations about India in English, very few students would be interested, but now that I have started giving the presentations in Italian, the students of my class have started paying attention and are filled with a book of questions They have started to talk more and more with me about India and involve me in their discussions Every day they teach me a new word in Italian I felt very nice when they learned Indian greetings from me and started greeting me with “Namaste, Radhe-Radhe or Ram-Ram”.

This program has made me more confident and more powerful as I get frequent opportunities to speak in front of a number of people. Another thing that I have got to do being in this intercultural program is to be able to have and spread a positive perception of India.

The first day I went to school here, some children asked me if Indians really eat “pizza with pineapples”, and I was extremely surprised to hear such a notion of my country. But with time, I’m happy to say that I could make them aware of the beautiful culture, heritage and diversity of India Likewise, my knowledge of Italian culture and people has also expanded manifold.

Vashnavi Mahajan, AFS Short Term Program Italy 2023 (Queens' College, Indore)

What comes first to your mind when you say Italy? Pizza, right? But that is not all. I had many exciting experiences there that I will cherish over and over throughout my life. I was an AFS Intercultural exchange student in Italy, and I didn't know how it would impact me or what to expect… I would like to share a couple of experiences I had while in Italy that amazed me.

Being a 16-year-old in a foreign country was exciting for me because it allowed me to get to know myself even better Once I traveled solo to a nearby city and was supposed to return home the same evening. But unfortunately, I missed my train which was going to take me back to my city and I was left all alone in a city that was 150km away from my home. Luckily I found a rental apartment to stay in for a night and the next morning, I boarded a train back home. It was an adventurous evening. I solved many problems on my own which is the reason I can say that I am a self-sufficient person now. I only eat vegetarian food. Finding food was a major challenge for me But the good thing is I managed to eat there for two months

The time I spent there proved that visiting Italy was the best decision I had ever made. My experience had its highs as well as lows. The difficult circumstances pushed me out of my comfort zone, and for that, I am grateful to AFS for giving me this opportunity.

Shrusti Patel, AFS Short Term Program Italy 2023 (DPS Indore)

Ciao Dear Readers,

I am Shrusti Patel and recently took part in 2month student exchange program in Italy. From taking the flights alone to buying food and being on my own, each and every little step of my journey was completely different from the life I had back in India

I was placed in the capital city of Rome which is famous for the best carbonara pasta, and the yummiest of the desserts. The most important people in my journey were the members of my amazing host family. We made so many memories together, from going to an Indian restaurant, dancing to Bollywood music in Gujarati fit, going on a small weekend trip, exploring the city together to just simply having family dinner together every day

The first week at school was a little difficult for me due to the language barrier as I could speak nearly no Italian, and in Italy, not everyone speaks English. But once I learnt Italian, things started getting smoother. I could have great conversations with my friends about the Indian and Italian cultures and marvel at the beauty of how contrasting the two are!

Though it was a small trip, it felt like I had spent a whole life in 2 months. Experiences like when I went out for a pizza just by myself or to the Colosseum and sat in front of it and stared at its beauty for hours are unforgettable Everything was just miraculous for me I can't thank everyone at AFS and my host family enough for giving me such an amazing and beautiful opportunity...

HOSTING

Holi Celebrations by Host Students

Exchange students from all over the world splashed colors of joy during the Holi festival! Holi is the festival of love, colors, and spring 16 exchange students from France, Japan, Thailand, Italy and the USA, who were placed in Ahmedabad, Patiala, Nabha, Vadodara, New Delhi, Kolkata, Indore and Kolhapur celebrated the festival of colours and explored the Indian culture of festivity. They were mesmerized by the colourful and joyous festivities

Read out some well painted cultural experiences of the exchange students.

‘My Holi experience was one of the most memorable experiences in India and of my life. It was a day filled with fun, laughter, and joy. I feel lucky to have experienced this festival and I look forward to celebrating it again.’

‘Holi is one of my favorite Indian festivals. My host siblings' faces lit up with sparkle and excitement when they were explaining Holi to me I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the festival more than once when we took a family trip to Uttarakhand for the reunion of my Host Mom‘s college friends! We played in Rishikesh and the beautiful landscape mountains.’

‘India is more colorful than any other place I have ever visited, and I am glad that I have had the chance to engage in this culture which celebrates multiple dyes and natural colors. I celebrated this colourful festival by wearing a traditional saree myself (with great help from my Dadi), seasoning my food with bright red, spicy seasonings, and playing Holi with my newfound community in India. I am so thankful to have spent these months here as they have let me see the real beauty within the colors and the hospitality of Indians that have now painted my perspective of India in a new way. ’

- Raina Luke, USA

Delhi International School Edge, Dwarka, AFS Chapter - Delhi

- Gregorio Pagliari, Italy Maharaja Agarsain Public School, AFS Chapter - Delhi

- Kacey Taylor, USA, Zebar School, AFS Chapter - Ahmedabad

‘The most important festival in India, this festival is filled with colours and fun. This was my first experience of playing Holi and I enjoyed a lot’

- Siphaphat Piyachotinun, Thailand at Indore Public School, AFS Chapter - Indore

‘Holi is the most famous Indian festival known to us back in France. I was very lucky to participate in it. A beautiful celebration with music, colors, friends, and mud.’

- Hugo Laforese, France

at Delhi Public School, Bopal, AFS Chapter - Ahmedabad

‘My experience of the Indian festival of colours, Holi was somewhat bitter-sweet due to the upcoming exam The girls in my school hostel went mad with fun, splashing colourful water on each other, running all over the lawn plastering each other's faces with vibrant colours. The rainbow of hues made their faces unrecognizable! It was indeed one of the most colourful experiences ever. ’

- Aphissara Chewprecha,Thailand Punjab Public School, Nabha

‘I learned here that like the fresh bloom of the spring, Holi is considered as the perfect time to put old disagreements to rest, start afresh and let go of your inhibitions. We danced to songs celebrating the colors.’

- Espen Ooyewee, USA

Delhi World Public School, Noida Extension, AFS Chapter - Delhi

‘I celebrated Holi with my friends where we played with colored powder and water balloons. It was a great way to bond with my friends in India and an entertaining and enjoyable way to learn more about the traditions and culture! I have never experienced anything similar to Holi so I hope I can bring this tradition back to America to play with my community.’

- Ruth Herllinger, USA

Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Kolkata

‘I've never experienced something like this. After playing with the colors we ate fruits and we danced together until lunchtime. I had been waiting for this festival since I arrived in India and I can completely affirm it was worth the wait ’

- Alessia Lombardi, Italy

Sanjay Ghodawat International School, Kolhapur

MEMBER SCHOOL

Shree Sarasswathi Vidhyaah Mandheer (SSVM), Coimbatore

Shree Sarasswathi Vidhyaah Mandheer, located in the scenic town of Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, is one of the leading CBSE schools in India. The school provides worldclass education and excellent facilities for its students, making it a popular choice among parents from all over India and the Indian diaspora.

SSVM is an inclusive school with boarding facilities The school is in a serene location amidst the lap of nature, making it an ideal environment for learning. Dr Manimekalai Mohan, the Founder and Managing Trustee, along with Trustee Mr Mohandoss, Directors Ms Srisha Mohandoss and Mr Nitin Jey, principal Sugunadevi and a committed team of teachers from across India is dedicated to providing a covetous and uncompromising ambience.

The SSVM students are highly proud of their school. Harini Sri Ravi, a student of the school, who has completed an AFS exchange in Italy recently, says that the school has helped develop her personality and build confidence in her. Dev Ashwanth Dhinakaran, another student, who has also spent some time in Denmark on another AFS exchange program, also praises the school for all the planned programs and opportunities the school provides. Similarly, Teacher Kavitha attests that she has worked in the school for over a decade and found the working environment extremely fulfilling.

AFS Alumnus, Dev Ashwanth Dhinakaran shares

…

'The learning from the program was a never-ending journey! It was a great pleasure meeting students from different countries and cultures I could reflect and share my own culture with them and I learnt to be organized, self-disciplined and more insightful and experienced the education systems of other countries The environment during the program in Denmark gave me the self-assurance and mental flexibility to embrace new opportunities in the future '

Dr Venunadhan B. Pillai Executive Principal

Ms Bhuvaneswari Subramani, the parent of an SSVM student, says that she chose SSVM School for her child because of the excellent facilities provided by the school She added, "The school provides facilities and opportunities like rifle shooting, horse riding, swimming, AFS intercultural exchange programs, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and TEDx which are not common in other schools."

Apart from these facilities, the school also provides duteous career and psychological counseling services for its students to produce well-rounded, culturally-rooted internationally minded individuals These proactive measures of the school ensure that the students are well prepared to take on the challenges of the future and make the right decisions about their careers. The school's alumni have made their mark in various fields like Technology, Medicine, Business, Academia, and Government Services after studying at the best universities worldwide.

All these make the school stand tall at the foothills of Ooty.

AFS Alumna, Harini Sri Ravi pens down her reflections…

My exchange program to Italy (8th Jan 2023-12th March 2023) was an amazing experience. I lived with my host family in Ravenna, Italy. I was placed in an Artistic school in Ravenna. I made a lot of friends and I learnt various new things, like sculpture making, geometric drawing, architecture, painting etc It was an opportunity for me to learn their culture and to share my culture. My family members really enjoyed trying out Indian traditional dresses and food.

My host parents took me to a lot of places during the weekends. I visited Bologna, Milano, Venice, Florence, San Marino, Cesenatico, Marradi. In the beginning, the food was a challenge for me but later I got used to it and I started loving Italian food Language was also a challenge but later my host parents helped me learn Italian. I celebrated my 16th birthday in Italy with my host family and my friends. It will remain as one of the most memorable days of my life.

ALUMNI

Hello! I’m Tandin Wangmo, a 19-year-old girl from Bhutan. I am one of the Asia Kakehashi Project 2019-20 alumna After returning from my exchange program, I participated in the Global You Changemaker program where 4 alumni of Asia-Kakehashi were selected by AFS International for their outstanding performance. We got the opportunity to attend the volunteer training session of AFS Asia-Pacific Initiative (AAI) Meeting held in Japan from March 10 to March 14. Lucas from AFS International provided us the volunteer training for AAI's Volunteers This was a valuable opportunity for all the volunteers from various countries where we could interact and learn from each other.

I got to learn a deep understanding about volunteerism through this program and how to be a contact person They even highlighted my problem of not having a chapter

The journey made me observe and experience the different cultures belonging to different backgrounds. I was able to build a strong relationship with the participants whose humility and down to earth nature made me come out of my comfort zone and socialize with them.

This program really helped me to groom myself into a better and more confident person. I am grateful to AFS for providing young alumni like myself with such global opportunities that gave us lifetime experience and achievement.

Tandin Wangmo, Bhutan

VIRTUAL PROGRAM

Mariya Newriwala, GCC Qualified Facilitator

Ms. Mariya Newriwala, Educator, Acropolis Enlightening Wisdom, Indore reflects on her learning with Global Up GCC Educator Program.

‘My journey with AFS was very successful I was very much grateful for this opportunity and have experienced great exposure with my colleagues and facilitator.

I have learned and experienced great things during my journey which is very useful in my professional career as well as my personal life. All the modules were insightful and inspiring to me. I have learned many things such as the importance of suspending judgments, accepting all cultures and being aware of perceptions of each other

Here's to the great interactive sessions, especially the dialogue sessions. They were really helpful and amazing; these sessions were very happening where we could share our life experiences and could hear others experiences as well.’

Ms. Anima Choudhury, Strawberry Field High School, Chandigarh

Effect+ for Classroom Program 2022-23 an international capacity building program by AFS International engages Educators from 25+ countries worldwide to do a 5-week online Global Competence Course and attend weekly live sessions where they get an opportunity to connect with educators from around the world. Here is what Ms. Anima Choudhury, an Educator from Strawberry Field High School, Chandigarh has to say about the program...

‘My association with AFS began with the enrolment into Effect+ for Classroom 22-23. It all started with a Kick-off session, where we interacted with several educators from countries across the world. It was quite an enriching experience. The breakout room discussions allowed us to let go of our inhibitions and share our experiences, best practices, and aspects of global citizenship, cultural diversity, stereotypes, gender equality and much more.

A set of modules needed to be completed before each virtual interaction. Bringing the teaching fraternity together to learn from each other and be better educators was the most interesting part of the program. ’

DOMESTIC CLASS

Pragnya Bodhini High School, Mumbai & Delhi Public School, Srinagar

Our turn to return the warmth!

One of the educators from the PBHS Mumbai shares…

We hosted students from Kashmir After our visit to Kashmir in July 2022, it was our chance to show them the same warmth. From the moment the students of DPS Srinagar arrived in Mumbai on 3 February 2023, they embraced Mumbai's charm.

They visited iconic landmarks like the Gateway of India, vibrant Kala Ghoda Art Festival and Kids for Tiger celebration, but the exchange went beyond sightseeing. The exchange included discussions, lectures and even potluck gatherings. Their visit to Radio Mirchi Mumbai Studios stood out. They toured the studio, interacted with actor Mr. Anupam Kher, and felt Mumbai's true essence – its people.

Solitaire Global Schools, Hyderabad & Maa Anandmayee Memorial School, Dehradun

A Journey of Friendship and Learning!

The students of MAMS embraced us with their hospitality, igniting a strong bond of friendship We attended classes together, exchanging knowledge and experiences. Later we ventured into the nearby mountains to witness the breathtaking Neergaddu waterfalls, where we spent the day participating in various sporting activities. An unforgettable experience was creating a home alarm system using sensors and 3D printing. Visit to the Indian Military Academy and the Forest Research Institute, offered insights into Indian military history and scientific projects. We immersed ourselves in the spiritual ambiance of Parmarth in Rishikesh, crossed Janki Setu and witnessed the cultural traditions of Haridwar during the captivating Ganga Aarti.

The visit to the Ganga Prem Hospital gave us an opportunity to recognize the value of life. This trip provided us with valuable life lessons and a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences our nation offers

Scan QR Code to Peek into Picture Booklet

VIRTUAL PROGRAM

AFS Global You Changemaker

Earn the Advanced Certificate on Global Citizenship for Social Impact from AFS and the University of Pennsylvania.

• Explore global citizenship, social impact, design thinking, and creative tools for social innovation.

• Examine intercultural issues and the fundamental values of Changemaking.

• Research local communities and develop new ideas for meaningful social impact.

• Boost self-awareness and empathy for diverse cultural backgrounds, perceptions, and behaviors.

Program Fees: USD 490

Program Fee after Scholarship* by AFS India: USD 400

*Scholarship available to AFS Member School students, AFS Alumni and AFS Volunteer family

• June 27 – September 19, 2023

• August 8 – October 31, 2023

AFS Mission

AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, nongovernmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.

AFS Values

AFS enables people to act as responsible global citizens working for peace and understanding in a diverse world. It acknowledges that peace is a dynamic concept threatened by injustice, inequity, and intolerance.

AFS seeks to affirm faith in the dignity and worth of every human being and of all nations and cultures. It encourages respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction as to race, sex, language, religion or social status.

AFS activities are based on our core values of dignity, respect for differences, harmony, sensitivity and tolerance. Global competence is the "power skill" young people require to make their impact on an increasingly diverse world. Active global citizens must be prepared to communicate, collaborate and lead across differences to tackle the world’s greatest challenges

AFS India Vision

To be the leading organisation in intercultural education and experience That focuses on growing its programs for the underserved