Mountain air

So we had a weekend break in Macleod Ganj.  This is a nearly 12 hour drive away up in the Himilayas, a Tibetan enclave where the Dalai Lama is exiled to. I have visited before but not stayed there and enjoyed the snow capped mountains of this time of year:

This is north of the town.  Towards the south is a magnificent view of the lowlands.  You can see for miles!

We enjoyed walking the streets, enjoying a very different environment, culture and food style from Delhi.

These two are my travelling companions/chauffeurs.  I have decided I will not be driving on Indian roads:

It was a tight squeeze, but he made it!

It was interesting to explore the buddhist temple, the "seat" of the Dalai Lama,  The monks are often to be seen wandering around the town.

On the way back down to Delhi, the weather was clear and we had some magnificent panoramas of those mountains:

...at increasing distance away:

We met a few of these little monkeys along the road too:

Now...back to work...

Sweeta - and not so sweet!

Clearly the weather is not the only cause of  Delhi traffic jams.  This is this morning's commute to Trilokpuri, the other side of the Yamuna River:

 Following the route I found this comment in my Delhi map book:

 And then I arrived at Trilokpuri.  They really are very welcoming and friendly there.  Some rememembered my previous visit 2 1/2 years ago.

And this was to be today's consulting room:

 My clinic was translated for me by the most helpful and encouraging Sweeta.  And the ladies of Trilokpuri made me the best cup of chai with (almost) no sugar.

After the clinic, and lunch, I was invited to the prayer meeting in the room upstairs. We sang and prayed and shared testimonies.  I reminded them of how they had prayed for a friend back home who had just been diagnosed with cancer, which of course they remembered, and I was able to tell them that she is now back to full health

I think this is the first time I have seen Indian dancing in the context of worship. Beautiful!

I was then introduced to 2 first year students studying for a BA.  I was reminded again of the struggles these young people have to deal with as they try to keep focussed while coping with all of life's difficulties.  This is Salma on the left and Zarine on the right.  Salma wasn't as outgoing, enthusiastic and bubbly as many of the students are when I meet them.  She lost her Mum just 3 weeks ago and was overwhelmed by her grief!

I had to say goodbye to these lovely ladies after I had written in their visitors book.  My entry was under the comments of Sam and Lisa Gibson

Sweeta is third from the left

The first slum I visited in 2005

I should first tell you about last night.  It was a beautiful evening and F & I decided we should go for a walk around Hauz Khas lake.  We were there just as the sun was setting and it was beautiful:

On the way we met these little monkeys:

...before visisting a local art gallery and a coffee shop. Cinnamon frappe for me - although it was almost the ubiquitous fresh lime soda.

Today I went back to Chandapuri which is the slum I first visited when I first came to Asha in 2005. I have been back on one occasion since.  We were met by the CHVs, one of whom remembered my wife. (How do they do it?)

I also met Ishitha on the left who is a new member of the office staff (and therefore entitled to share the biscuits, Shubhra!) She started yesterday and is on an orientation course at present.

The building has changed a great deal - but here, as in Seelampur, most of their computers are out of action, waiting for replacements.

I also met Aqhilac, or Aki, who has completed his degree and is working part time at the New Zealand High Commission, while studying via a correspondence course.  In his spare time he is teaching and encouraging 32 children from his slum who are coming up behind him.  He shares with them both his knowledge and his experience, including how he overcame his difficulties to acieve what he has.  He has 3 younger siblings at University and a younger brother still at school.  He tells me that his family are very proud of him and feels he could not have achieved all this without the constant support of Asha for which he is very grateful.

After the clinic it was back to the office where I joined Dr Asher and the Asha staff in a workshop, concentrating mainly on diabetes. I followed most of it although it was mainly in Hindi!  That is Subodh from Seelampur waving at the back:

And now we're off to a dim sum restaurant for dinner...!

Better weather, better traffic

So the Delhi sun has come out and the morning commute to Seelampur was straightforward. 

This is a huge slum of 38,000 people, the same population as my home town, Yeovil, UK. It occupies a much smaller area of course.
Another day brought another consulting room:

 I really enjoyed my clinic session this morning, very ably supported by Subodh and the team of CHVs who help to run the clinic.  Today we had 2 consultation rooms running. Dr Asher is a retired GP from UK who is here for a few weeks.  She ran the antenatal clinic while I saw the medical cases.
Here is my consulting room from outside:

And here is Subodh on the right who translates for me while I consult with Sunila who is President of one of the six Muhila Mundals (women's groups) at Seelumpur.

After the clinic, Dr Asher and I shared a ride back and chatted about our experiences with Asha and how we could help improve services. We found a very common understanding between us.  She is holding a tutorial with staff tomorrow and I will try to attend if time allows.

I popped into to the Asha Office on the way home, partly to make sure they were coping without me, and partly to ensure that they shared the biscuits I brought them, with Ayesha!

I am being very well looked after: I was brought a cup of coffee as soon as I got in, and here is a picture of the delicious meal we ate last night:

That is a stuffed dosa on the right and the main dish is a delicious south Indian vegetable samber.  Behind the Kingfisher can is a dish of "gunpowder".  It sounds alarming but is a beautifully flavoured and textured relish made with sesame seeds, red chiles, garlic and no doubt a few other ingredients! Altogether wonderful!

Back in Mayapuri!

Last night I was kept awake by loud neighbours and then a thunderstorm! I woke excited to be going back to visit Mayapuri slum again. First we had to negotiate the Delhi traffic made worse by lots of standing water.  Breathe in!

Then my excellent driver helps me negotiate my way to the community building via well placed bricks.  Spare a though for Thressi, the Asha staff member who walks this way every day to work! And of course the people who live amongst it.

I was pleased to see on the notice board memories of my last visit, meeting little Pooja:

The clinic was quite short due to the mud, and the difficulty people had getting out of their homes. We had lunch before I sat down with Thressi and the Community Health Volunteers and we revised lifestyle advice for diabetics together. They showed me some beautiful clay money boxes that the children had made to raise funds for the Bal Mandal (children's group) I bought one!

That is Gobi on the right, who is the computer teacher.  I gatecrashed one of his lessons:

And then I met these three little ones; Asha, Parti and Jyoti.  We had a game of throw the harti (elephant):

Well, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", you know!

How to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon in Delhi?

Today has been a pleasant quiet day to help me recover from the night flight before starting in the clinics tomorrow.

My generous hosts are both not on top form unfortunately and trying to gather energy for the week ahead! So here is how I spent my afternoon:

First I watched and learned as my lunch was cooked for me... a paneer curry and a fish curry (who knew those big black bits left in the pan were tamarind?)

and then the chapatis.

After a rest and recuperation (!) while the rain stopped I went out for a walk to explore the neighbourhood. Less than 100yds up the road are some historic ruins:

and just a little further is a useful looking bookshop, next to the shirt wala!

Up the main road a little way is Delhi's most famous kebab restaurant:

A bit further up is the Metro station which can whisk me into the centre of town in no time

Past several local medical clinics including this one...some of those procedures might come in handy soon:

(You wouldn't want one of those jumping bunnies in your bronchi though!)

And round the block to the local market area which has food stalls, and all sorts of shops plus no less than 3 coffee shops, one of which I stopped at before heading home as it started to drizzle with rain again!

And now - time for a rest!

Back in Delhi!

Just flown into Delhi for another short visit to Asha. I was collected at the airport and taken straight to the office where I was greeted like a long lost friend.  It was great to see everyone again, and some new faces.

One new face in the Office is Usha who started her job about one month ago.  She has come through the Bal Mandal (childrens' group), has completed a University degree and been through the Internship Programme. She was quite little when we first met her!

Here she is giving a speech!  Aaaah!

And here she is in her new role, next to me - with Shuhbra and Jibin:

I have been given a full programme for the fortnight which involves clinics, teaching, meeting the CHVs, children and students.

But first...some sleep! zzzzzzzzz