I started as yesterday, sitting in with Dr S and Sam the med student. Before starting the surgery Dr S who is a gynaecogist by training had a procedure to do on a patient we saw yesterday with fertility problems. I had never seen this done before, and we were able to reassure her about her chances a day after we saw her...try getting that service on the Nash! So during the morning I was learning from Dr S, who was learning from me, while I was teaching Sam!
A quick pizza break at lunchtime in Freddy's office, and then I was whisked off to join one of the Asha staff in Anna Nagar slum. This is a slum close to the centre of the city which I had not previously visited. We were due to do an antenatal/well baby clinic, with a few extras slotted in. I was greeted by several friendly faces when we got to the clinic building, including a Community Health Volunteer from the slum, and 3 smiling and relaxed students who had just broken up for the holiday. Between patients we had a lovely chat about what they were doing and what their plans were. They asked where I came from so I drew a map of England with Yeovil marked on it...
So here they are...Suvita, Pooja and Ramli:
Here are some of our patients...Mum in law in the centre with her 2 daughters in law; one who gave birth to the little one 7 months ago (who had just been given a jab!) and the other who is newly pregnant.
Papers and big fans don't go together well. You have to make sure everything is weighed down or it flies across the room: This is Sweeta the Asha worker who tells me she has worked for Asha for 23 tireless years!
After the clinic Sweeta took me on a brief walkabout around the slum. After a short walk we stopped at this little house, which I was told was the home of another student, Munnar, who was in the 2nd year of her History Hons degree. Like the others she had just started her summer break. Notice all the shoes in the doorway...what is going on here????
After being invited in we walked through to the back and met Munnar who told me that she was teaching 20 children from the slum (from nursery age to grade 8). What was she teaching them? "Everything"! I felt so proud of her when I saw this sight:
We walked a little further to the home of another CHV, Lalvetta who said she had worked with Asha for 20 years! I was invited in and served chai and biscuits. I met her 2 younger daughters, Monica, 16, and Brianka, 11, who chatted away to me in English about their hopes for the future etc. Here they are in their home... (I have no idea who the other children were but hey!)
We were just leaving when Kussum, the older sister came home from work. She too is teaching youngsters in her free time!
When I got home the flatmates were just about to go out to the big supermarkrt in the Mall round the corner - so I tagged along to help choose dinner. When we returned Jake and Bianca cooked us a delicious paneer and vegetable stir fry, using several vegetables we'd never seen before. Jake had only cooked a "failed omelette" before coming to Delhi 1 week ago. He is now an enthusiastic and talented cook! And yes... Sam and I were on washing up duty!
Glad it is all going well. I remember being super impressed by a uni student teaching a big group of kids in her house. She was so keen to give them the chances she was having. Can't imagine I would have been so generous when I was a student. Sending you all lots of blessings. Lucy
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