U.S. Embassy Representative Visits the YSEL Program in India

From February 27 to 28, 2012, Joelle Uzarskii, the Regional English Language Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi visited the Youth Solidarity and English Language (YSEL) program's camp in Jalandhar, Punjab. After reading about the success of previous YSEL camps, Uzarskii paid a visit to the camp in northern India to witness the groundbreaking program for herself.

Now on its third program cycle since February 2011, YSEL sends secondary school-aged students from different Afghan provinces to participate in an academic camp in Punjab, India. While the primary focus is English language acquisition, this month-long program also cultivates a strong sense of national identity, youth solidarity, leadership, and volunteerism. The YSEL program is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and administered by American Councils for International Education.

During her brief stay at the camp, Uzarskii met with YSEL students, marking her first face-to-face interaction with Afghan youth. As an English language specialist, Uzarskii was impressed by the YSEL students' English language proficiency. Uzarskii also observed other courses being taught in English including theater, public speaking, conflict resolution, and academic writing. She also spoke with YSEL teachers about course curricula and the progress they have witnessed in their Afghan students. Uzarskii will reconvene with the YSEL group during their trip to Delhi at the end of March as they tour the Gandhi Museum and other important sites in India's capital city.

Click here to learn more about the YSEL program.