Celebrating the International Day of the Girl Child

U.S. Consul General Jennifer McIntyre poses with Cultural Affairs Officer Shanna Surendra, Fulbright-Nehru Scholar Cynthia Dettman, and participants of a women’s empowerment workshop held at the Consulate on October 12, 2012.

The U.S. Consulate in Chennai and the United States-India Educational Foundation joined together to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, a day that was observed worldwide on October 11, 2012, with a special workshop for disadvantaged women.   

Fulbright-Nehru Scholar Cynthia Dettman of Mount Hood Community College, Gresham, Oregon, who is an expert on social work and women’s empowerment, conducted the workshop, entitled “Women’s Empowerment: Strategies for Helping Grassroots Women Find Voice and Power” at the Consulate on October 12, 2012. Participants learned about popular education methodologies that can help disadvantaged women develop confidence, skills, and their own involvement in social change.  

Participants also learnt about group work skills being used in community colleges in the United States, which can be effective across cultures, classes, castes and languages. As noted by Dettman, this methodology has been used and refined in the Transitions/Transiciones Program at Mt. Hood Community College, Portland, Oregon.  

U.S. Consul General Jennifer McIntyre joined the workshop, presenting certificates to each participant.