Part of the overarching GOAL program, CAMP (Community Advocates and Mentorship Program) is a new initiative launched by DEF in collaboration with the U.S. India Policy Institute (USIPI). CAMP is designed to address the digital divide in India, empower young women in underserved localities in India, and build the next generation of advocates in the US and India. Through CAMP, young women and girls in both countries will unleash their potential to become leaders of change in their communities, while forging lifelong bonds in the process.
In previous iterations, GOAL connected urban women mentors from India to rural and tribal mentees with disabilities. Through these previous programs, we learned that mentees placed a high value on their exposure to new lifestyles and the opportunity to learn and practice English with their mentors. Thus, CAMP places these opportunities front and center by connecting rural and tribal women with young women mentors in the United States. English-language learning has likewise become a more central part of the program, with the EDGE (English and Digital for Girls’ Education) program designed by the British Council becoming a core feature of the program’s training module.
We anticipate that through CAMP, not only will our mentees have the opportunity to develop strong English, digital, and leadership skills, but both mentors and mentees will learn from each other and grow as a result of their exposure to new and different ways of life.