Joe and Lotte at Sambhavna

We also saddled up with the community outreach workers this week. The 7 strong team had been a mystery to us until we approached them asking to visit a colony with them. Covering 14 communities (or bastis locally speaking) the team works in male/female pairs each visiting 4/5 bastis per day. These are all gas explosion or water contaminated areas and from the photos you can see are also very poor. The Basti we visited is sited by the Union Carbide solar evaporation ponds an area where chemicals from the plant were piped for storage or concentration. In addition one of the cities main railway lines runs through the centre of the housing and perpendicular to this a fly-over is being constructed carving a path through peoples homes and livelihoods.

This location really highlights the lives of many in India who struggling to find shelter where they can are so easily pushed around by those with more power.

The silver lining however is the community spirit. The outreach team now have a network of volunteers located all across the area who are trained up to provide various forms of health promotion. We met one lady whos role was to educate the locals about malaria risks at monsoon season. A spot map we were shown highlighted the stagnant water locations in the Basti and the relevant volunteer locations adjacent to them who warned residents to take precautions during this season.

These workers also provide acute medical screening for those in the community unsure, worried or physically unable to seek treatment at Sambhavna clinic. We visited what we were told was a 14 year old boy but it soon transpired he was infact a 20 year old man whos growth had been compromised by a polio infection as a child. A recent turn for the worst had left him with what seemed to be agonizing neuropathic pain but, unable to even leave his bed, it was proving difficult to seek effective treatment.

Its clear help does not finish when the community team leaves at the end of the day. Long term projects such as community herb gardens help cement the people’s trust in Sambhavna and further build the local cohesion. Donations were being collected for the next planned garden and in a wonderful gesture of trust the key for the donations box is left with a member of the community. This seems symbolic of the empowerment of locals in taking responsibility for the health of themselves and future generations.