My friend Annika called me one day and asked if I wanted to join her on a walk in the slum. I did not have to think for long - of course, who doesn't?
We met bright and early on a Friday in November at the Shadipur metro station in northwest Delhi, where Kathputli Colony is situated.
Hannah from UK, currently living in Abu Dhabi, joined our little group. Our guide Laxmi Balotia is connected to an NGO called Providing Education for Everyone, which provides guides for different kinds of walks to raise some money for and awareness of their real work.
Here is an excerpt from their website:
"One of the largest problems we face in our world today is ignorance. Uneducated people go through the motions of life doing the best that they know how to do. However, they are hindered by their lack of knowledge of the vast world around them. Many people head to work each day with the hope that they will earn enough money to eat for the day. Living hand-to-mouth is the only option for a large population of our fellow people. This option proves to be the only option for the entire lifespan of millions. A number of this social group will become victims of crime and are forced to make unthinkable decisions as a result of their circumstances. Most of the children living in poverty are forced down unimaginable roads of hardship. The vicious cycle of this plague of poverty needs to be eradicated."
I'm ready for hardcore Delhi! Earplugs, vogmask, good shoes and the backpack made into a frontpack loaded with hand sanitizer.
A first glimps down an alley. Looks ok, we decide to venture in.
Imagine the stories this woman could tell. I would love to have a cup of chai with her.
The Iron Man! The iron weighs 7 kilos. If your garment is not flat after a confrontation with this object, it never will be.
Filled with hot coals it probably weighs even more.
First stop is the state school for the children in the area - according to our guide not a very good one, too many students per class and badly educated teachers.
We hear that a lot - the state schools do not get enough resources to
attract the good teachers, nor provide enough space for the large
number of students. The result is normally poor education for the ones
who do not have a choice.
The children looked very happy - not sure if it was the impromptu break from the studies or maybe the sight of 2 stangely dressed, large (in comparison with Indians OF COURSE!!) ladies with very pale hair.
Time for a bath ... on the roof!
These boys are playing at marbles - should you not be in school??!
In one alley we ran into these girls carrying a speaker and I asked if I could take a picture. Of course, and promptly one of them heaved up ... the speaker!
She got tired after a while and revealed herself.
Many people here support themselves as street performers with monkeys ...
... or as magicians.
If there is no place on the floor, put your shoes above the door.
Goat cum clothes drying yard.
"Picture, madame!"
Iron man has competition by Iron woman. Her iron weighs 9 kilos.
She has moved into the 20th century and is using electricity. Not sure for how long though ... looks slightly precarious.
This guy, and his family create art using wood and natural colours.
One of these is hanging outside my door to fend off evil spirits. The other one might lurk in a closet somewhere in Sweden.
Baking bread for lunch in her very beautiful saree.
Laxmi then showed us one of the vocational schools - girls learn design and stitching.
If you have a sewing machine you don't need anymore, I know someone who does.
All these women are related to each other in one way or another, live together, work together, cook and eat together. Something else they share is that they all sleep on the floor, the husband and possibly the oldest son get the bed.
Next stop was the primary school.
"The goal of Providing Education to Everyone (PETE), our non-profit organisation, is to establish a school system and teach children the basic principles of reading, writing and arithmetic. Students will be guided in the understanding that 'knowledge is power'. To teach a subject is to understand the subject, so 'make your knowledge contagious' will be an important virtue of the school...
... Upon successful completion of primary school training,
students will receive assistance through guidance and scholarship in
deciding what option is in their best interests for the next phase of
their lives. Throughout the process, we will also provide clean water
and basic nutrition for the students and neighboring communities."
"The mission of the PETE school system is to develop each student to be an independent thinker and life-long learner who will live as a messenger of knowledge and to make their knowledge contagious. 'Wisdom alone is the science of other sciences' -Plato"
We walked on and ended up in a not so nice quarter.
The butcher! Imagine this in 48 degree C ... or, better not.
Could be her grandchild, or her own.
Until this stage in our walk we had felt very safe and were met with smiles and helpful hands everywhere. In the next quarter we visited the atmosphere changed suddenly.
Laxmi asked us to walk on, not stop too much for pictures.
This is not a place for humans, let alone children.
Laxmi did however stop when she saw these two young men. They are musicians and rappers. So far this is the only time I have heard rap in Hindi.
Pure love glowing in this woman's face when she is wiping the child's runny nose.
We are close to the end of our adventure in Kathputli Colony. It was amazing to meet and talk with the strong people, who have more life experience than anyone should probably. We were all rather drained of energy when we, after 3 hours, emerged into the Delhi traffic. What? No, not much of a relief, but somehow more familiar and predictable in its unpredictability.
If you would like to do this walk, help by donating or even volunteering, don't hesitate to contact Slumwalk in Delhi by Pete.
We met bright and early on a Friday in November at the Shadipur metro station in northwest Delhi, where Kathputli Colony is situated.
Here is an excerpt from their website:
"One of the largest problems we face in our world today is ignorance. Uneducated people go through the motions of life doing the best that they know how to do. However, they are hindered by their lack of knowledge of the vast world around them. Many people head to work each day with the hope that they will earn enough money to eat for the day. Living hand-to-mouth is the only option for a large population of our fellow people. This option proves to be the only option for the entire lifespan of millions. A number of this social group will become victims of crime and are forced to make unthinkable decisions as a result of their circumstances. Most of the children living in poverty are forced down unimaginable roads of hardship. The vicious cycle of this plague of poverty needs to be eradicated."
I'm ready for hardcore Delhi! Earplugs, vogmask, good shoes and the backpack made into a frontpack loaded with hand sanitizer.
There is over 30,000 people living in this slum/shanti town. It is divided into several very different quarters - people from different states in India group together, and we could very clearly notice the difference as soon as we crossed a dividing alley.
Yeah, we called each other in the morning.
"The goal of Providing Education to Everyone (PETE), our non-profit organisation, is to establish a school system and teach children the basic principles of reading, writing and arithmetic. Students will be guided in the understanding that 'knowledge is power'. To teach a subject is to understand the subject, so 'make your knowledge contagious' will be an important virtue of the school...
This is not a place for humans, let alone children.
