The heat is almost suffocating and the stench of rotting rubbish and sewers hits you with an almost tectonic force. I will never forget the first night we arrived in Kolkata. The cacophony of sounds that reverberate against your ear drums, most violently, the enormity of people sleeping in the streets, uncovered, vulnerable as they lay there seeking some rest bite and the scale of abject poverty seeps through every corner of the city as we make our weary way through the streets of Kolkata to our new apartment, which will be our retreat for the next three months. Everyone i meet in Kolkata and those who have visited before me, seem to repeat the same phrase, 'nothing will prepare you for this experience', i can already see that i will become one of these people that further proliferates this view. I was overwhelmed the first day, tentatively stepping out onto the busy streets. The enormity of people is overwhelming, and dodging the ever chaotic traffic is a daily task taken with great care and attention. I have sampled almost all forms of transport, my least favourite being a rickshaw, as i sat next to Kim i was almost certain that on two occasions i was a millimeter away from going right into the back of the bus that was careering out in front of us, i prayed, and i thought i am never, no matter what, getting on one of these things ever again!
In our first two weeks we have visited many of Hope's centres and the partnering NGO centres that Hope fund. There are a few experiences in particular that stick in my mind. Firstly RCFC's orthopaedic centre. RCFC are a partner NGO of Hope's and they treat children pre and post surgery after they have had limbs removed, aswell as providing thrice weekly sessions for young people with cerebral palsy. The staff were so kind and keen to show me their facilities. I was in awe at the level of expertise amongst the staff, in particular how far their efforts went when only the basic of materials are at hand to make casts and mobility aids. I mentioned i teach drama and the young man who was escorting me around, became highly elated and animated, requesting i come back and work with the children, how could resist such a honest request? Many of these children come from outside of Kolkata, some eight hours drive away. Very rarely do their families visit, some not at all, this in particular saddened me greatly. They are all well looked after but there is no comfort like your mothers embrace, especially when you are hurting. I am returning there twice a week to play with the children.
After mum returned from Kolkata, she told many stories of her visit, but in particular i remember receiving text messages from her whilst she was on child watch. This service run by Hope runs three nights of the week, whereby a medic and counsellor go out in the ambulance all around Kolkata looking for malnourished or at risk children and mothers. This evening was by far one of the most emotional four hours of my life, i am welling up as i write this. I saw unimaginable poverty, children between 6-18months sleeping in the dirtiest of streets, children at play in some of the worst living conditions, a mere dirty mat marking the territory of their home, scavenging through piles of rubbish to seek some form of nutrition. Prostitutes waiting patiently down the alley ways, hallow faced and still, but in all this madness there were so many happy faces that greeted us as we lept from the ambulance, songs were sang and dances were danced, that is Kolkata, the poorest of people are often the ones wearing the biggest of smiles. We walked around one of the train stations that night and came across a boy who Hope have been watching for a while, he cannot be more than ten years old, an orphan hanging around with boys much older than himself. This boy is addicted to heroin and solvents, he came to shake our hands, he was completely high. This boy has before intimated he wants help but the medic tells me he is very impressionable and he doesn't want to exchange the freedom he has for a life of routine. One cannot help people if they do not want to be helped, and he is happy and regardless of my angst and sorrow we leave and i make a promise to myself i will come back and see him, just to see that he is OK.
The Crisis centre is just around the corner from our apartment, i keep finding myself there when i have a spare hour, playing with the three boys with special needs. The crisis centre is a temporary home for boys who have come from Howrah train station. Howrah train station is the biggest in Asia, approx one million people pass through there everyday. Howrah contains some of the poorest children, many have run away from home or from the clutches of traffickers, they earn a means of survival by picking up empty water bottles and newspapers from the long haul trains. They embark the trains as they are pulling into the station, many of these young children are addicted to solvents aswell, one wrong footing or misjudgment renders many of them with lost limbs. Those in the crisis centre have been through rehabilitation and many are now in formal schooling or apprenticeship courses awaiting to either be reunited with their families or rehoused. However there are still many young people who are at risk in Howrah. Hope runs a drop-in centre for these children, this in particular was somewhere i wanted to visit, especially as i am working with the young people in the crisis centre, i wanted to know where they have come from, begin to understand part of their stories. Again this was a really emotional visit. There were at least 25 young people in the drop-in centre, which was a small concrete building at the back of the station, many of the young people were on solvents, but they were so delighted to see us. They sang for us and in return we sang for them. As soon as i walked into the drop-in centre i knew i wanted to come back, i wanted to give these young people a sense empowerment and fun. They exist in a fractured community, they live together, but are in competition with one another for their imminent survival. This will be one of the biggest challenges we face, there are many factors affecting these young people, and to me they are amongst some of the children that Hope helps that are still at incredible risk.
Our schedules are almost prepared and this week will allow us to begin laying foundations in some of the areas we are keen to work in. As i already anticipated this will be hard, not only struggling against the unforgiving heat but working with young people who have much to teach us about their lives.
In our first two weeks we have visited many of Hope's centres and the partnering NGO centres that Hope fund. There are a few experiences in particular that stick in my mind. Firstly RCFC's orthopaedic centre. RCFC are a partner NGO of Hope's and they treat children pre and post surgery after they have had limbs removed, aswell as providing thrice weekly sessions for young people with cerebral palsy. The staff were so kind and keen to show me their facilities. I was in awe at the level of expertise amongst the staff, in particular how far their efforts went when only the basic of materials are at hand to make casts and mobility aids. I mentioned i teach drama and the young man who was escorting me around, became highly elated and animated, requesting i come back and work with the children, how could resist such a honest request? Many of these children come from outside of Kolkata, some eight hours drive away. Very rarely do their families visit, some not at all, this in particular saddened me greatly. They are all well looked after but there is no comfort like your mothers embrace, especially when you are hurting. I am returning there twice a week to play with the children.
After mum returned from Kolkata, she told many stories of her visit, but in particular i remember receiving text messages from her whilst she was on child watch. This service run by Hope runs three nights of the week, whereby a medic and counsellor go out in the ambulance all around Kolkata looking for malnourished or at risk children and mothers. This evening was by far one of the most emotional four hours of my life, i am welling up as i write this. I saw unimaginable poverty, children between 6-18months sleeping in the dirtiest of streets, children at play in some of the worst living conditions, a mere dirty mat marking the territory of their home, scavenging through piles of rubbish to seek some form of nutrition. Prostitutes waiting patiently down the alley ways, hallow faced and still, but in all this madness there were so many happy faces that greeted us as we lept from the ambulance, songs were sang and dances were danced, that is Kolkata, the poorest of people are often the ones wearing the biggest of smiles. We walked around one of the train stations that night and came across a boy who Hope have been watching for a while, he cannot be more than ten years old, an orphan hanging around with boys much older than himself. This boy is addicted to heroin and solvents, he came to shake our hands, he was completely high. This boy has before intimated he wants help but the medic tells me he is very impressionable and he doesn't want to exchange the freedom he has for a life of routine. One cannot help people if they do not want to be helped, and he is happy and regardless of my angst and sorrow we leave and i make a promise to myself i will come back and see him, just to see that he is OK.
The Crisis centre is just around the corner from our apartment, i keep finding myself there when i have a spare hour, playing with the three boys with special needs. The crisis centre is a temporary home for boys who have come from Howrah train station. Howrah train station is the biggest in Asia, approx one million people pass through there everyday. Howrah contains some of the poorest children, many have run away from home or from the clutches of traffickers, they earn a means of survival by picking up empty water bottles and newspapers from the long haul trains. They embark the trains as they are pulling into the station, many of these young children are addicted to solvents aswell, one wrong footing or misjudgment renders many of them with lost limbs. Those in the crisis centre have been through rehabilitation and many are now in formal schooling or apprenticeship courses awaiting to either be reunited with their families or rehoused. However there are still many young people who are at risk in Howrah. Hope runs a drop-in centre for these children, this in particular was somewhere i wanted to visit, especially as i am working with the young people in the crisis centre, i wanted to know where they have come from, begin to understand part of their stories. Again this was a really emotional visit. There were at least 25 young people in the drop-in centre, which was a small concrete building at the back of the station, many of the young people were on solvents, but they were so delighted to see us. They sang for us and in return we sang for them. As soon as i walked into the drop-in centre i knew i wanted to come back, i wanted to give these young people a sense empowerment and fun. They exist in a fractured community, they live together, but are in competition with one another for their imminent survival. This will be one of the biggest challenges we face, there are many factors affecting these young people, and to me they are amongst some of the children that Hope helps that are still at incredible risk.
Our schedules are almost prepared and this week will allow us to begin laying foundations in some of the areas we are keen to work in. As i already anticipated this will be hard, not only struggling against the unforgiving heat but working with young people who have much to teach us about their lives.
I could almost believe I was there. You paint a vivid picture of the horrendous lifestyle and then say that despite all that the people manage to smile. It puts our tiny but "terribly important" problems into perspective.
ReplyDeleteBut what on earth can be done about it? Will the current elections actually achieve anything - I think there is hope - people power will prevail and maybe in 20 years there will be piped water in every village and street lights and education to lift people out of poverty.
Well done girls !
The Finn family
Wow you have left me stunned. What a great and very evocative blog. Glad you got there safely and very definately seem to have got stuck in.
ReplyDeleteLook after yourself.
Good Luck.
Lots of love. xxx
Thinking of you Becca. Keep Safe. Lots of Love XXxxx
ReplyDelete