Zakhira Slum

Today I have been in Zakhira slum in NW Delhi.  This is a poor slum divided into 2 parts alongside the Delhi to Chandigarh railway line. It has a mainly muslim community.  This morning I ran a clinic with Ayesha translating.  She has only been working with Asha for 2 -3 days but she did brilliantly.  Previously she had been working with refugees in India, including some from Palestine.  The patients were mainly antenatal with a few other cases in amongst them.  This was my consulting room today:

After lunch I had an opportunity to meet the students, some of whom had been in College for 1 or 2 years, some were just admitted and others were waiting to hear whether or not they had a place.  I also met some at grade 11 and 12 which is equivalent to UK A level.  We had a long chat during which I found out more about those who are unsuccessful, and what their options are.  Here they all are:

Then the ladies group, the Mahila Mundal, told me what life was like before Asha came to Zakhira.  They never left their homes, and didn't know their neighbours.  It took 5-6 months of meeting before they felt comfortable with each other.  Now they meet every Monday and share a "pot luck lunch" together! They told me about their next campaign, which is to replace an old toilet block that keeps clogging up and overflowing:

Next I met the children's group, the Bal Mandal.  They showed me some hand crafted goods they had made which they sold to raise funds for the elderly in their slum, to buy them food etc.!  They then showed me the banners they had made in their campaign against addictions:

And these were the girls, and one guy who said they had been taught English by Ruth.  They are saying "Hi Ruth!":

After meeting the children I was taken on a brief tour of Zakhira.  I saw the railway where several people had been killed while trying to find somewhere to "go" while both the toilet blocks were out of action - one has been re-built.

A very encouraging sight we passed was this - a new house being built to replace a little hut.  It was being paid for out of the proceeds of a successful business, following the support of a micro-loan from a bank.  This is another of Asha's initiatives to help the urban poor.

That is Ayesha, in the pink outfit.  Finally, when Freddy last came to the UK he kindly gave me a beautiful leather wallet that he had told me was made by a craftsman in the slums.  Well today I had the privelege of meeting Razik in his home, where he showed me his range of products and the machine he uses to do the stitching - when he doesn't do it by hand!  I also met his wife and young son.

Tomorrow I go to Mayapuri...