Whirlwind in India

Tuesday, July 31, 2012       

            “We are in the business of heroes.”  It is not everyday you hear a line like this, but these were the exact words I heard on my first full day in India.  After more than 48 hours of being rerouted on planes, I landed in the long-awaited destination of Mumbai, where the rest of my classmates were waiting with wide smiles, open minds and an eagerness you only see on the faces of those visiting a new and unknown place.  Yes, it was Tuesday morning, and after applying for this trip more than 6 months ago and taking several weeks of classes in D.C., we were all ready to learn about social entrepreneurship at ground zero.

            So back to what I was saying: all that business about heroes.  In the U.S., we tend to think about heroes in the form of the newest comic book character or action figure to hit the big screen.  Last month Spiderman, this month Batman.   Flashing lights, spandex suits, and let us not forget superhuman powers.  These are the types of fictional heroes generated through popular culture, who gain recognition and appeal at mass levels.  But here in the nonprofit sector of India, we are learning about a new kind of hero.  One you do not see plastered on a billboard the size of a mountain or hinged at the center of a multimillion-dollar industry.  In a city with more than 9 million individuals living in slums, today’s heroes in Mumbai are those individuals working to create sustainable social change and eradicate poverty at the grassroots level.

 

            If they are not local farmers working to produce honey to raise money within their communities, they may be select individuals with innovative ideas for social entrepreneurship.  Be! Fund is one of the nonprofit organizations we met with during our first full day in India, using a media platform to reach people throughout different communities in Mumbai.  Be! Fund seeks individuals with fresh ideas to spur social business development within their own communities, based on personal experiences and observations.  This organization runs on the theory that such individuals are the most aware of pertinent issues within their communities, and the most knowledgeable about ways to solve rising problems with available resources.  In this sense, Be! Fund is in the business of heroes.

           

            Another organization we met with is called Under the Mango Tree, a nonprofit organization following the idea of “Bees for Poverty Reduction.”  Local farmers are able to participate in farming cooperatives, and through the program are able to increase their annual incomes substantially.  This initiative establishes a buyback arrangement for the honey that is produced, and Under the Mango Tree sells organic honey produced by local Indian farmers.  Bees are a local, natural resource, and producing honey is not detrimental to the environment.  Under the Mango Tree runs a program using available resources to spur local income among farmers in order to create social entrepreneurship.  In addition to involving local farmers, Under the Mango Tree aims to incorporate community-training programs to expand the business skills of individuals within the community for sustainable development and business expansion.

            The third organization we met with, called ATMA, works in the educational arena to partner with and strengthen already existing nonprofits and impact the system.  ATMA currently relies on word-of-mouth strategies to recruit partner organizations, emphasizing the fact that an organization’s credibility and reputation are important elements of the nonprofit sector.  This is especially true in India, where over 3 million nonprofit organizations are all working throughout the country on a wide array of social, economic and political issues.  In its role, ATMA highlights the need for cooperation and communication among these separate entities, especially in the realms of health and education.

            Among the three organizations we met with this day, it was apparent all were seeking innovative business incentives with ideals of community development in mind.  It was really interesting and inspiring to meet the unique representatives who took the time to come and speak with us about their organizations, and how they became involved in their work in the nonprofit sector.  It was even more interesting to note all of these individuals were women of various ages.  Many of them recognized a need for social change at some point in their lives, either earlier or later, and decided to become part of this movement. 

            As the population in Mumbai soars, the government can only do so much.  This is why the nonprofit sector is so important to provide assistance and instigate sustainable community development where the government and private sector fall short.  Whether they are the local individuals creating change within their communities or the staff members working at nonprofit organizations supporting social development, it is apparent that heroes come in many forms.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

            Today we went to visit an organization called AmeriCares, working to improve the healthcare system throughout Mumbai’s slums.  After meeting in the headquarters, we were split into several teams and assigned different sections of a particular slum to map out.  This may seem like an simple task, but when most streets are not clearly identified, and the only thing you are working with is a satellite image of the area, the task can be somewhat meticulous.  As the map drawer, I was assigned the job of drawing out the different streets and marking off the number of homes, shops and other landmarks, as well as the number of footsteps in between each lane.  Other members of my group had the arduous task of counting out these footsteps and doorways. 

            At first it seemed like we would be able to get this done in a snap, but as we turned more corners, things began to look the same.  Had we been here before?  Was that yellow building the same one I passed 5 minutes ago?  How do people who live in this community remember their way around, I wondered as I watched children running through the streets without a second thought in regards to direction.  These were all questions that began to fill my head as the temperature rose and our map looked more and more complicated.  Luckily, we had several members of the AmeriCares team by our side to help direct us, and who had obviously done this before, as one of the major goals of the organization is to map out the entire community in this manner for efficient health care access and mobilization.  If not for these individuals, I fear I would have been lost within minutes.

            Towards the end of the mapping exercise, one of the AmeriCares team members introduced us to a gentleman.  She said he was one of the AmeriCares community workers, and that he usually does these types of mapping exercises on his own.  This really put into perspective how important community involvement is in the work of nonprofit organizations, as these individuals know the areas well and can complete these tasks with efficiency and skill.  AmeriCares is a multifaceted organization generating social change at the community level, but this work would not be possible without the cooperation and involvement of the local members of the community the organization is working in.

Friday, August 3, 2012

            Dharavi. 

            For weeks we have been discussing visiting the most populated slum in India, Dharavi.  Sometimes you hear about things ahead of time or see images through the media, and you think you are prepared for what lies ahead.  This was the same slum where potions of the popular movie “Slumdog Millionaire” were filmed.  We knew it would be crowded.  We knew it would be dirty.  As much as you try though, nothing can prepare you for the real life image of the poverty in Dharavi that exists in mass. 

            We got an early start to the day and headed over to the hospital on the outskirts of the slum, where an organization titled SNEHA operates out of in part.  SNEHA stands for the Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action: Healthy Women and Children for a Healthy Urban World.  Once again, I was moved by the men and women involved in this organization, and the high level of commitment they possess for social change and health promotion. SNEHA aims to empower and educate women and children in order to improve health outcomes throughout the community. 

            One program in particular stuck out to me, centered on reducing the occurrence of domestic violence throughout the slum.  Raising the issue of violence and empowering women to stand against it is one of the main drives within this program.  It was disheartening to learn how isolated women become by all members of their community when they stand against domestic abuse.  We were able to actually go into Dharavi and meet with peer educators trained to counsel women and support them in their stance against violence.  Once again, it was inspiring to see both men and women, without much formal education, working as peer educators, and to witness their compassion and motivation to lower rates of abuse within their own communities. 

            While walking through Dharavi, I became increasingly aware of the number of people living in the slum.  The narrow and busy walkways gave way to countless shops and a seemingly endless number of doorways leading into crowded homes.  It almost felt as though we were traveling through a maze, and if I lost my group, I would have no idea how to get back to the hospital.  Walking through the slum highlighted the lack of governmental involvement in the area, and need for nonprofits, such as SHEHA, to work towards community development.  Although conditions in the slum are harsh, it was also inspiring to hear stories of individuals helping their neighbors within the community in regards to child and financial support.  Stories like these remind us that organizations like SHENHA are working to improve conditions in areas where people have the incentive, yet are struggling to support one another.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

            Today we were able to do some sightseeing at these ancient caves called the Elephanta Caves.  Before coming to India, people continually mentioned to me how spiritual the country is, but until I was standing before the massive sculptures carved into the walls of the caves, I was not truly aware of how important religion was and continues to be in this country.  The caves were dark and damp, but not frightening.  It was quite an experience to stand in such an old space and take in all the history, as the tour guide narrated stories to us about the various Indian gods and how Portuguese colonists decimated the caves centuries ago.

            In order to reach the caves, we had to walk up several staircases through an outdoor market.  Monkeys were running above us, besides us and below us.  I was able to purchase a painting that contains bright colors, as though it appeared out of a dream.  At the bottom of the stairs, my friend was eating some grilled corn on the cob until a cow came up from behind and surprised her.  She immediately threw the corn on the ground, and from that moment on, the corn belonged to the cow and monkeys weaving between stands in the market.

            This evening, we were invited to attend dinner at our trip coordinator’s house.  Netra’s entire family was extremely hospitable and setup the open porch for our entire group.  Her sister is a professional dancer in India, and some of the girls put on a performance for us.  It was a wonderful experience, as each dance told a story about Indian religion and culture.  At the end of the performance, we were invited to join in the dancing, which was fantastic.  We danced around in a large circle, laughing and throwing our hands up in the air to traditional Indian music.  Even Dr. Vyas and Dr. Parrish joined in.  If nothing else, I noticed how reinvigorated all the girls seemed tonight based on the smiles and funky dance moves they produced.

Monday, August 6, 2012

            Seven AM, we meet in the lobby and board the bus.  It’s time to go.  The mindset of today:  Let’s do this.  We are venturing into rural India for the first time on this trip, and spirits are high.  More importantly, we get to meet with members from Impact India, an organization working to improve health care delivery and health outcomes in rural villages outside of Mumbai.  The information session begins as we hit the road, with a question and answer session on the bus.  With 5 sites to visit in one day, there is literally no time to waste.

           

            Among the places we visited, the site that stuck out to me the most was the first school we stopped in.  Inside, we witnessed the children carrying out an activity aimed to improve health and sanitation among classmates.  The children have been allowed to elect their own health monitors amongst themselves; one for the girls and one for the boys.  The health monitor, in turn, runs physical and audial evaluations of their classmates regarding appearance, doctor visits, etc.  The children seemed to be taking this activity extremely seriously, as the monitor checked fingernails, ears and asked questions about health outside of school, and kept a log of all information collected.  Not only was the activity allowing the children to manage control of their own health, it was also teaching them about an important political process, as they were able to choose their own health monitors, who then chose their own assistants.  It appeared to be a very effective educational tool to promote health and leadership within a school.

            Another stop we made was to visit a community meeting for women surrounding health and other issues.  Although the women were a bit shy to speak out, it was really interesting to see how many voluntarily attended this monthly meeting, and how they seemed to regard health as an important aspect of their lives.  It was noted that men are not usually invited to such meetings because women’s health is such broad topic for discussion.  The fact that these female attendees would not open up around us made it clear they may not be as candid as they are alone if men did attend these meetings.  Either way, it was noteworthy to recognize the role women play in maintaining their own health and that of their children at a community level, and their commitment to do so.

            As the rain came down, we pulled up to our last stop: a rural clinic.  We were able to take a brief tour of the facility, and then sit down and have an informational session with one of the doctors who work there.  As it turns out, the doctor we met in one of two who lives on the grounds 24 hours per day, and helps to serve thousands of patients annually.  As the government subsidizes this particular clinic, patients only have to pay 5 rupees per general visit.  Many women from the area come to this clinic to have their babies delivered.  It was somewhat daunting to see the relatively small size of the clinic in relation to the number of patients it serves.  This seems to be the norm though, as I have been able to visit rural clinics in South Africa and Nicaragua, and I am always surprised by their size relative to patients served.

            As the day wrapped, up, it was clear that we had just witnessed public health in action.  As a student, it is can be easy to lose sight of why you became involved in a certain field if you spend all of your time buried in books in the library.  Coming to India so far has reminded me of the role public health plays in the lives of an enormous amount of people.  Seeing these kinds of efforts in person revitalizes the notion that public health, whether it is epidemiology or child and maternal health, has the potential to improve the world through a community-oriented approach.  In order to continue working in this field, it is critical to ascertain the idea helping one person can generate an enormous impact.  This is where public health intervenes with social entrepreneurship.  Through innovative programs equipped with peer education, the potential exists to create economic development and improve health outcomes throughout an entire community.