Graduate Case Studies - Benita Sabharwal - Costa Rica & Nicaragua - 2009

Name: Benita Sabharwal

Degree and University: Psychology, University of Reading

Benita received the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award and went on expedition to Costa Rica & Nicaragua in Autumn 2009

What made you apply for the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award, and what were you doing before you heard you had received the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award?

I had just finished my psychology degree and I was unemployed, searching for jobs and getting nowhere. Not even recruitment/temp agencies would take me on because I had no experience. I applied to the Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award because I have always wanted to volunteer abroad where I could make a difference on a first-hand basis and now I had a lot of time to do it. Previously I could not afford to volunteer abroad, but with the bursary, I could.

What did you want to get out of the Raleigh expedition?

I wanted to get some sort of experience or skills from it that would help me with future employment. I also wanted to do something I enjoyed and was passionate about. What options did you consider after graduation and for any time out? I considered getting any job just so I could get some experience for future jobs and get some money together to possibly do a masters in Forensic Psychology. I also wanted to do volunteering in mental wards in hospitals, and a school for children with anger problems because it would give me experience for my masters and is something I would enjoy. The Graduate Bursary scheme attracted me to Raleigh because I had researched other organisations and they were all too expensive, whereas with Raleigh I could do what I wanted for less.Furthermore, what's great about them is that because they are a charity you fundraise the majority of the money and so do not have to pay it all yourself.

How did you raise the funds to join your expedition?

I only had a month to raise all the funds so I had to work fast. Whenever I could I would be fundraising. When I went out to parties for birthdays I would bring a jar and put it on the bar or ask around in pubs telling them all about Raleigh. On nights out I made signs for all my friends to wear saying "kiss poverty goodbye by kissing me hello" and
they would give a kiss on the cheek in return for a pound. I did a charity date auction where a number of my friends were put up in a silent auction for a date. It was put together in
a week which took a lot of planning; getting the venue, guest list and actually finding people to agree to be sold! Overall this event was a success, giving me almost half the money I needed. My final event was a 40km hike from Uxbridge to Reading in a day. This was done partly to train for the trek that I did on the expedition.

Describe what you did on your expedition.

One of my projects was building a gravity feed water system in a village called Al Cacao in Nicaragua. I got to stay with an adopted family. They were so nice and it was great to learn about their culture. The entire community worked alongside us to complete the project so you really got to
know everyone and they also threw us parties, with piñatas and lots of dancing! I did not really know any Spanish when I first arrived and was really worried how I would communicate with the locals. However, it was not as hard as I first thought. I just used gestures and signs to help them understand
and ended up learning a lot of Spanish in the community. I taught English to my adopted brother and sister and they taught me Spanish and I also had the opportunity to teach English in the local school which was a great experience! The work was really rewarding, involved a lot of digging and a lot of laughs with the community. They were really friendly and welcoming and I will never forget my family's faces when the water first got turned on and then I realised how much difference we made to
everyone in the village.

What did you gain personally from your experiences?

I have learnt a lot about myself on Raleigh. I realise I am a lot stronger mentally and physically than I once thought, I can do a lot more than I give myself credit for, and I have a lot more confidence now in what I do. Furthermore, seeing people who have next to nothing and living in basic conditions made me appreciate what I have and made me realise a lot of material possessions are
completely unnecessary.

What are your plans following Raleigh?

Raleigh has reaffirmed what I want to do. I am definitely going to do a masters in Forensic Psychology where I can make a difference everyday. I think Raleigh has really improved my employability skills. I have learnt how to work well with others. I also got the chance to be a leader for a day which I got feedback on. This really helped me to see what the group liked about my leadership
style and what I could improve on in the future. Now I am more confident in the decisions I make. Other skills Raleigh helped with were my communication, organisation and planning, and being able to work with a variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures.

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