Mayapuri morning and Shanti Vihar afternoon

So it was Friday Aug 3rd...

In the morning we all visited Mayapuri again.  I suggested that the others should have a chance to visit this slum because it is so different and made an impact on me.  We came in to be greeted by little Poojah in a smart dress, ready to meet JH!  She looked lovely!

Later we met the boys and listened to their stories before JT taught them some BSL signs - which they enjoyed...

The boys left to go to school and then we got to meet some of the deaf people in the slum, children and adults.  Some of the children had multiple problems - blind or with cerebral palsies too.  It was quite hard to know how to encourage them.

We talked about the five senses and that even if some were not working - others could be stimulated - and should be.  Many of them seemed to us to be excluded and misunderstood by the community they lived in.  Vijay was a young, apparently bright lad who had no opportunity for school and not used to people trying to communicate with him.  JT did a fantastic job, sitting on the floor opposite him with good eye contact and showing Mum how to mouth his name clearly so he could lip-read.  She got a good response and a smile!

Then the Community Health Volunteers stayed and JT gave them a brief introduction to " deaf awareness" issues.  They were really receptive and keen to learn.

We all went for a tour round the slum so that the others could see for themselves the conditions these people were enduring.  Here are N&S by the railway:

After a quick lunch we departed for an altogether different destination.  Shanti Vihar is a community in the west of the city which has residents who tell familiar stories of how their slum lives used to be - and go on to explain how with Asha's help, they no longer live in a slum!

We saw thriving businesses, a clean, quiet environment with plants, and attractive homes.  The people own the land their houses are built on and therefore are secure.  Most people have good jobs and for example work in some of the foreign embassies nearby.  We were told that they regard themselves as middle-class Indians now!  We were made to feel welcome with drinks and biscuits in this lovely home, served by these 3 young ladies:

We then headed back to Asha HQ where JH met a family we have got to know well over the years who live in a nearby slum.  Another baby had arrived since last time - number 3 - but we were told "no more"!  Meanwhile I met with the doctors to finalise the new updated drug formulary that we had been working on: