Dania Maqbool (‘28), a Health and Societies major, traveled to Sri Lanka to study the local impact of education-focused NGOs with mentorship from Dr. Andria Johnson (Department of History and Sociology of Science). This research was supported by the Association of Alumnae Rosemary D. Mazzatenta Scholars Award.
I explored how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can leverage global financial resources while staying deeply rooted in the communities they serve. I worked with an education-focused NGO in Kandy, Sri Lanka, where I observed their efforts both in schools and in students’ homes.
As a Health & Societies major, I’ve studied how effective interventions must be community-driven and responsive to local needs. Through this project, I realized that this concept extends far beyond healthcare, as it applies to all community-based organizations. I was especially drawn to understanding how underprivileged populations can gain better access to essential services, whether in education, health, or other areas. Working with plantation communities, I learned that meaningful impact comes from relationships built on trust and sustained collaboration.
Listening to families and students share their struggles with labor demands, food insecurity, and inadequate housing was both eye-opening and humbling. At the same time, I was deeply inspired by their perseverance and unwavering belief in the power of education. While I had encountered similar perspectives in the past, this experience reinforced the importance of stepping outside my own assumptions and approaching others’ stories with openness and humility. It pushed me to grow into a more empathetic and reflective learner.
This research experience strengthened my skills in qualitative methods, particularly observation and active listening. I learned the value of engaging with others’ perspectives and incorporating feedback to improve my work. For example, when I drafted my initial interview guides, my professor encouraged me to make the questions more open-ended, while my mentor at the organization suggested wording changes to account for cultural nuances within the communities I worked with. These experiences taught me that careful listening and openness to feedback are essential for producing stronger, more respectful research. Moving forward, I plan to carry these skills into both academic and professional settings, as they will ensure that I approach each project with more curiosity and humility, which will help me learn from those around me.
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