Students at Loyola School
Our Wellesley team this summer alongside three Siddi students who are in 11 Standard at the Loyola School in Mundgod.
AIA is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization committed to improving the lives of the Siddis of India. Mission The African Indian Alliance: A Siddi Partnership is a not-for-profit organization committed to improving the lives of the Siddis of India. We accomplish this mission through educating the Siddi children, providing access to quality healthcare, and micro-financing efforts. Our goal is to enhance the dignity and economic well-being of the Siddis while building a foundation for their engagement with greater India.
Our Wellesley team this summer alongside three Siddi students who are in 11 Standard at the Loyola School in Mundgod.
We care deeply about the education of our students in the African Indian Alliance. In order for our students to be successful, we need good teachers to guide them. We are lucky to have Sangeetha as part of our program! She spends time with students individually and in small groups to help them with homework … More Our Teacher Sangeetha
These 42 students are sponsored through AIA. All those who wrote exams to go onto 11 Standard passed. 100 percent for Mainalli! Hence an increase in our student population. We are so proud of our students and how hard they work!
This summer great work is being done by Amanda, Jessica, and Olivia–students at Wellesley College. Fiona joined the team to continue her work on adolescent wellness and the sanitary pad project. Former headmistress Sister Celestine is now here to coordinate the education piece with Sister Reeta. Sister Raphael continues as Mother Superior of the Convent and … More AIA Update June 2016
Visiting a Siddi Village in Modern India by Asha Sundararaman September 27, 2013 Roads in Mainalli “Be careful,” my uncle and his friends warned as I prepared to leave Bangalore, “Don’t eat unknown food or drink the water. Make sure you bring Paracetamol.” “Are you going to be ok without a TV?” my grandmother asked. … More Reflection on India
Pashington Obeng Jr. July 2009 / Went for one week. I knew the trip would be uncomfortable. I told myself it would be an exercise in patience and understanding. I recalled all the images and stories I knew of India from the videos and pictures my dad shared from his trips. From everything I researched, … More Reflection on India
Victoria Cheng My trip to Mainalli was a unique experience. I had traveled before, but never had the opportunity to engage so directly with only one segment of the population. When we first drove down the little street leading to the convent where we were to stay, I saw a village of people who, in … More Reflections on India
Kirstin Yanisch My time in Mainalli was one of the most memorable experiences from my time at Wellesley. It transformed my understanding of India and its people, and allowed me to form meaningful relationships in a country that had previously been foreign to me. Learning about the history of the Siddi people and particularly learning … More Reflections on India
Clark Andrews The time I spent in Mainalli and the surrounding areas was life changing for me and I can only hope had a lasting impact on the great people I worked with. Coming in, I had no idea what to expect about the people or the environment I would be working with/in, but soon … More Reflections on India
Moriah Smith The first time I learned about Mainalli and Siddis in southern India was over lunch with Professor Obeng during a Wellesley course in Ghana. My eyes widened to learn more about the extent of the African diaspora. As a woman of African descent from the United States it felt essential that I travel … More Reflections on India