My first successful diagnosis...

This little lad came in today complaining of weight loss and a cough for a few weeks. I suggested a stool sample for roundworm...today the result: "Ascaris seen" (also Giardia).  Well I was pleased!

Another busy clinic with mutual teaching was followed by lunch in Freddy's office.  Kiran has been cooking our lunch at home and sending it in for us to eat!  This is the third different dahl she has made and there is also a chick pea dish - both delicious! Sam and I have felt spoilt!

In the afternoon I was whisked off to Jeevan  Nagar slum to the east of the city near the river.  I remembered Asha adopting this slum just over 5 years ago so that is how long they have been working there.  The conditions were the worst I have seen: In places the lanes were 18 inches wide and I had to stoop under roofs and over drains before we came to the smallest of slum houses I have visited so far.  Despite that, the people have built a real caring community together.  I was welcomed with garlands and petals thrown like confetti and handshakes and chatter and "Welcome Sir"!

We all sat down and chatted together.  The children's English was some of the best I have heard!  The women told me about how they had been living just a few years before and how much their lives had improved since.  It was Sweeta's birthday so I suggested the children sing her Happy Birthday, which they did with great gusto!  Then they set about making this for us as it is our wedding anniversary:

After we had chatted for an hour or three I had a brief clinic to do, and then we visited some of those tiny homes.  Here is one of the CHV's with her daughter Rehka who has just finished her 2nd year of her Sanskrit honours degree.

Their home must be about 7x7 feet with a smaller room up the ladder. Six people live in that space.  There are no windows.  In that home Rehka has worked hard to get admission to University.  In her holidays she teaches younger children.  She showed me all the prize certificates she has won since she has been at College:

She wants to do a MA/PhD in Sanskrit and become a Lecturer in Sanskrit at University level! Behind her you can see one of her older students in grade 11 with a big science textbook that she was engrossed in as I entered!