Music has always been a universal language that transcends borders. In a time of increasing global division, can international volunteering still foster meaningful connections across countries?
The moment Elinor Roderick, a 23-year-old volunteer from Cardiff, played the first notes of her violin in a rural school in Kolkata, something remarkable happened. Children’s faces lit up. They stood, clapped, and began to dance, instantly recognizing the tune despite not sharing a common language.
Elinor had spent weeks preparing for her journey to India as part of a Welsh-led initiative supporting young women and children. While her suitcase was packed with essentials, it was her violin and passion for music that would ultimately build the strongest bridges.
“I learned the Indian tune Ekla Cholo Re from a Bollywood movie named Kahaani,” Elinor recalls. “They immediately knew the melody, and we connected. It was really lovely.”
As soon as she saw this volunteering opportunity on Instagram, she didn’t hesitate. “I saw it and thought, oh my gosh, this is my chance, I need to go,” she says. The idea of traveling with a group of young women and working with an organization she trusted made it even more appealing.
For Elinor, this trip was more than just an opportunity to volunteer abroad. She had always wanted to visit India but felt it was a place best experienced with others. “India is a country where you kind of want to go with other people rather than by yourself,” she says.
Urdd Gobaith Cymru, Wales’ largest youth organization, coordinated this project as part of their international strategy aimed at empowering young women. Mali Thomas, Director of Communications and International Projects at Urdd Gobaith Cymru, says, “We work with children and young people to provide international opportunities to share and learn the Welsh language, culture and heritage.”
Before the trip, Urdd provided the volunteers with training to prepare them for what they would experience in India. They spent a weekend learning about the culture, and the challenges faced by the communities they would be visiting.
“It was very important for us as an organization to ensure that the girls had as much information as possible,” Mali says. “We wanted to prepare them for what they would see, but also give them space to ask questions and discuss the topics they would be dealing with. They were going to work with young women and children who had faced serious challenges like trafficking and child labour, so it was essential that they felt comfortable and ready for the visit in February.”
From over 140 applicants, Elinor was one of ten young women selected for her diverse background and skills. “We wanted to represent all parts of Wales,” Mali says, “with different experiences and backgrounds to ensure the best possible experience.”
Before traveling to Kolkata, Elinor prepared extensively. “I play lots of Welsh folk tunes regularly, but I made sure I had Indian tunes practiced as well,” she says.
She also wanted to understand more about the place she was visiting trying to find out more about what the situation in India is now as she came across issues around sex trafficking, particularly, Kolkata which was horrifying to her.
“Sarah Symons, the founder of Her Future Coalition, has written a few books, so I read one which she co-wrote with Anjali, who was actually rescued from sex trafficking,” she says. “I’m still reading it actually because it has left me so intrigued.”
Upon arrival in Kolkata, Elinor vividly remembers her initial impression: “The streets were chaos. The traffic was terrifying, a complete free-for-all.” Beyond traffic, the stark environmental contrasts deeply impacted her. “I’ve done some environmental reporting, and seeing plastic burned in piles on the streets was shocking and sad,” she says.
Yet amidst this stark contrast, music emerged as a powerful connector. At Ek Tara school Kolkata, Elinor introduced the children to traditional Welsh folk dancing. She introduced Welsh folk dance since art was one of the ways she connected with them. “We did a dance called Twmpath, which is like a Welsh version of the barn dance,” she says. “They loved it. We were teaching them, but in a way, they were teaching us too.”
Another memorable activity involved blending Indian and Welsh cultures creatively. “I learned how to count in Hindi and the chrildren there learnt how to cite numbers in Welsh. So we’d sing and count numbers in Hindi and Welsh. It was a beautiful cultural exchange,” says Elinor. The children eagerly taught the volunteers proper pronunciation, creating a genuine intercultural dialogue.
In rural Kolkata, Elinor experienced another musical highlight when children and teachers from different villages, each speaking different native languages, came together. “We taught them a Welsh verse, and they taught us the same tune in their languages,” she says. “Five languages, one song. It was beautiful.”
Feedback from local communities echoed Mali’s observations. Teachers reported that their students had never been so engaged, laughing and enjoying themselves while participating in musical exchange from Wales. Mali adds, “Our volunteers did games, songs, and sports with them. The children learned about Wales and our language. It was genuinely empowering to see them learn and grow.”
Education was another thing that stood out to Elinor. “NGOs like Her Future Coalition are working really hard to get children into education,” she says. “Compared to Wales, not many people are keen into education, which is really sad to see. Some children don’t even get to go to school and are put into labour work situations that aren’t good for them.”
Despite the differences, she found warmth in the people she met, especially the children. They were curious, full of energy, and eager to share their world with the visitors. Seeing the impact firsthand was deeply rewarding. “The most rewarding part was seeing how much impact we had on the children,” she says. “Many were shy initially, but by the end, they didn’t want to say goodbye. It was really special.”
She admits there were challenges, including adjusting to the overwhelming environmental crisis. “Overcoming problems like heat wave and humidity, was really very difficult,” she says. Yet these challenges only strengthened her to understand and address issues globally.
Reflecting on how the experience changed her perspective, Elinor says, “It definitely opened doors for me. There’s so much to learn about the world. Going to India showed me I need to research more, and help others not just locally, but also internationally.”
Returning home, Elinor is passionate about continuing to use music as a tool for social connection and change. Mali and the Urdd team plan to maintain relationships with the volunteers, encouraging them to share their experiences within their Welsh communities to promote further international engagement and understanding about India.
“We will continue engaging our volunteers,” Mali confirms. “We want them to present their experiences locally, physically, and online, inspiring more young people to participate in future projects.”
Elinor passionately encourages other young Welsh women to seize similar opportunities. “If something like this tempts you, just go for it,” she says. “You never know how deeply you might impact others or how profoundly they might impact you. Music is a universal language, it connects us in ways words cannot.”