Every year, dozens of children graduate from DGH and return to their home villages and cities across India (and sometimes even further afield). But what happens next? Some head straight into the world of work, while others go on to college, further training and all kinds of other exciting opportunities – often supported by DGHUK sponsorship programmes.

That was how Starina – one of our former sponsored children at the Homes, now studying for a General BA in Kolkata – recently found herself representing the British Council at one of Kolkata’s premier literature festivals. The two-week event featured book launches, workshops and even some performance poetry by writer Kate Davis and rappers Swerve & JD.

We asked Starina to explain why she signed up for the event, and how she got on…

What was the opportunity, and how did you hear about it?

It was a voluntary role for the British Council at the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair, running from 31 January to 12 February 2023. I got to know about the opportunity from a mutual friend through social media and I was really excited. I sent in my resume, and I got through the interview. I was so happy to be selected to volunteer for them.

What did your role with the Council involve?

My job role for those 13 days was to engage and talk to the many customers who were coming to our stall to find out about the organisation and the library facilities that the British Council has to offer. There were 10 of us, and our target was to get the maximum number of customers to take out a library membership and enrol for the English, teaching and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) courses that the British Council offers. It was quite a tiring job because we had to stand on our feet for long hours talking to customers.

How did you get on?

In the beginning I was really nervous! I didn’t know if the customers would listen to me as I didn’t have confidence in myself. But after speaking to three or four customers, it just got easier. I was able to convince quite a lot of customers to get a membership at the British Council. We were working there from 11am to 8pm – so I was glad they had provided us with transport to reach home safely!

What will you take away from the experience?

For me it was a really good experience working under the British Council, the librarian manager and the other senior mentors who guided us throughout and encouraged us in all ways. I am so grateful for this opportunity as it helped me gain the self-confidence which I lacked, by motivating and pushing me out of my comfort zone. I learned how to communicate and put forward my viewpoints effectively.

Looking back at these few days, I feel proud of myself for doing my best – and I will always cherish these memories.

You can find out more about the British Council’s Kolkata-based English courses for adults and young learners on their official website. Visit https://britishcouncil.in/english/schools/kolkata for more information.

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