Delhi colours ...

Village People ...

I saw a young boy sitting roadside tending to some goats. At first glance it looked as though he was concentrating on his phone, it turned out that "the phone" was a leaf ...

I talked with a girl in her late-teens; attractive and with excellent spoken English. Upon enquiring as to her future plans, "stay here, in the village" she replied ...

Village idiots? Village champions ... 

This amazing building, home to people, pets and livestock,
was situated alongside my humble guest house.
All photos (below) taken within metres of this building. 

Delhi Slum School - 2018 ...

I have recently returned from New Delhi. As reported previously, the Kathputli Colony slum was in danger of demolition. This has proved to be the case; all gone and fenced-off. The slum dwellers, many of them long-term, scattered in all directions. 

A number of families relocated to the sprawling Daya Basti slum, and it is there that I was able to contribute both financially and hands-on. My friend Santan was again on-board, my opinion of him and his efforts only increasing. Being known by some of the newly-arrived residents from Kathputli made Santan's acceptance by the Daya Basti parents and residents in general far easier.

Asking friends to donate money, on-line or otherwise, does not sit comfortably with me. That said, I remain truly grateful to those who contributed through my crowdfunding campaign. The classroom consists of an open-air concrete rooftop only, with a brick retaining wall (paid by Santan) running around the perimeter. 

The rent for this space is around AU$80 per month. Presently there is no dedicated teacher and nothing in the way of classroom fixtures; nor is the present site guaranteed to become permanent or long-term. Santan and his good friend John are teaching around forty to fifty children of varying ages, two hours per session, three days per week. 

I spent two weeks in Daya Basti, I am still sporting the glow!

Grateful thanks to the following (in order received)

for their kind donations:

DAVE SALHUS

CAROL BRANDT

ELLEN BIRKBY

CHRIS ALEXANDER

JASON CHU

ROLAND VETTER

PHIL ARMSTRONG

ZACHARY DEXTER

CÉDRIC GALOPIN

SONU PANDEY

CARINE LUSTENBERGER

JANE, FRAN & DI

👍👋👋👍

Small whiteboards x 3, first purchase with donor funds!

Santan (left) and John 

Slum School - New Delhi

Back in October of 2017, I was fortunate to meet Santan, a passionate young man with his heart seemingly in the right place.

I met Santan with the view of returning in 2018 to volunteer my services, teaching in a slum school and helping out within the slum community as much as possible.

After receiving instructions, I travelled by metro to Shadipur station, wanting to find and wander around the slum alone. Impossible! I called Santan and we met thereafter.

Santan took me to the Kathputli Colony slum, where he was welcomed and well known. We visited the one-room school, which was jam-packed with slum kids of varying ages. Amazing faces.

Afterwards I found myself sitting on the floor of a one room home, containing a family of nine, all of whom sleep sardine-like on the concrete floor. Apart from sarong-style sheets, I saw no other bedding. Cooking was done outside, electricity existed - somehow stolen from the grid. Toilets were non-existent. 

Speaking Hindi to Santan, I was asked if I would like a cup of tea. OMG - with putrid open drains situated just outside, "where will the water come from?" I was thinking. Santan assured me that it would be safe. And so it was!

Within a matter of weeks of my visit, in the name of redevelopment, Government sponsored demolition teams arrived to flatten Kathputli colony. The one-room school survived the first round of the bulldozers, my tea-offering family's home did not.

In attempt to paint a past - present - future picture, I will attach some links here. Many families moved to transit camps, many still live in the rubble, many have moved to another slum.

Regardless of what happens, my plan is to join forces with Santan later this year:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathputli_Colony

https://thewire.in/211843/watch-life-demolition-delhis-kathputli-colony/

http://www.kathputlicolonydda.com/

These photos were taken by Santan. On my one and only visit to Kathputli Colony, I deemed it inappropriate to take photos. A gesture appreciated by Santan.