Graduation Ceremony!!

After the completion of the four week course on Understanding the Jamkjed method (I don't really like to call it a model because it's more of a methodology) we had a ceremony. For everyone here, at CRHP, I believe it was a bit of an emotional ceremony specifically because this was the first ceremony after the passing of Dr. Raj Arole, one of the founders of CRHP. Dr. Raj Arole passed away earlier this summer before the start of the program. It is so unfortunate that we did not have the privilege of meeting him.

His daughter, Dr. Shobha lead the ceremony. It was a moving ceremony where she gave us such encouraging words.  Dr. Shobha urged us to always remember the people first, to focus on being scholars, to use our brains and to not fall into the trap of academia. I must admit I felt so motivated and ready to face anything after her memorable speech. We each were called by name and given a garland, a scarf, a candle holder, and a certificate of completion.

This course will definitely help me define and finalize my place in health care!

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Dr. Raj Arole Obituary

Cost Effective Health Care

Hospital visits with Dr. Shobha are always interesting. We see such interesting cases throughout the day. The CRHP Hospital is not like a typical hospital that exists in a lot of other places. Relatives play a major role in patient care; they bring food for the patient, support them and come to visit all throughout the day. The patients’ relatives help the nurses in patient care, which improves the healing process and allows for earlier discharge. What CRHP tries to implement is called Cost-effective Secondary Care.

I feel as if US hospitals are turning into a huge profit-generating machine. Many doctors put patients through unnecessary tests and expensive drugs resulting in their personal benefit or profits. In the CRHP Hospital, the pharmacy only keeps the WHO list of essential drugs and nothing too expensive. When people need further treatment, they are usually referred to a hospital. With this the Doctors have to know the cost of drugs and lab tests to choose the most cost-effective treatments for patients.

The medical personnel believe in people’s potential and try to demystify medicine. One surgery assistant that Dr. Shobha really trusts performs better than a lot of trained nurses and he only has a fourth grade education. Patients are charged on a sliding scale based on income. Only emergent cases such as Cesarian, burn victims, surgeries, snake bites and more are admitted to the hospital. Most of the care for regular ailments are addressed at home by trained Village Health Workers.

The hospital is certain that this is the best way, for them, to be able to provide low cost and efficient health care for patients that come in.

TTYS.

"Like" CRHP on Facebook

I'm trying to bring greater awareness to the CRHP cause. I have seen first-hand the aide they provide to the people of Jamkhed, India. When back in the States, I plan to stay abreast of new developments through their status updates. I invite you to do the same... :)

The Plight of Women in Jamkhed

Your worst day could be someone's best day...

After hearing personal stories from the women that work with CRHP, I had to take a step back and think about my life and the women surrounding me.  I realized the importance of having faith and more importantly, to never lose that faith.

The level of oppression the women face in this culture is indescribable. Women are thought to be worthless. Even within the social caste system, in India, the women are beneath the untouchables.

Many Village Health Workers ("VHW") shared their stories with us. One of the stories that struck me the most was of a Shudra woman whose family couldn't gather enough money for her dowry. They finally found someone who agreed to marry her without a dowry. She was married at the age of fifteen and moved to Mumbai to live with her husband and his family. Within the first six months she was pregnant. Her husband was constantly sick so she had to take care of her husband and her baby. Her husband got so sick, she had to take him to the hospital where it was discovered that he had HIV/AIDS. He died shortly after the diagnosis. She later found out that both she and her baby were HIV positive. With this news, her in-laws did not allow her to stay with them. They believed she caused their son’s death. She tried to return to her parents but was no longer welcomed there as well. She and her baby were homeless. Eventually finding a job as a manual laborer, during the day she left her child unattended inorder to go to work. After a few weeks of the same routine, one evening she returned from a long work day to find her son dead. Feeling desolate, she attemped suicide many different times. A VHW found her and took her to the CRHP Hospital. She was very thin and sick with symptoms of HIV. She was nursed back to health at the CRHP Hospital. CRHP has greatly cared for her has prescribed a regimen of antiretroviral drugs for the past four years. Currently, she is working as a Manager on the CRHP farm.

 With the help of CRHP, she has regained confidence in life and her health. She is encouraging other people with HIV/AIDS and young girls about the plight of women in their villages.

We see these Ladies throughout our days in Jamkhed. Each one has a story to tell. Each has overcome some kind of abuse or life obstacle, yet they are still smiling and living life to its fullest. The language barrier is invisible. The very little Marathi I speak nor the little English they speak desn't hamper our understanding of each other.  It is enough for us to understand each other - woman to woman. Her story is one of many I have heard. The women struggle everyday for their wellfare, well being, and to earn their respect. While they have conquered much, there is a long road to travel. I realize that as a woman I take many of my civil liberities for granted. I now see things through different eyes.

TTYS.

The CRHP Hospital

Above is the CRHP Hospital.

I spend two days a week, Wednesdays and Thursdays at rhe CRHP Hospital. It is not a hospital by US standards and visits are reserved foe specialty care. Much of the health care is handled and treated at home, thus our trips into the villages on Mondays. Each village has a Health Worker who tends to medical needs. Hospital stays and visits are expensive and unaffordable my most in the community.

Donate To The Cause

If you notice on the side bar there is a new link to foster donations to CRHP in Jamkhed, India. I urge you to please make a donation to the cause. Your funds will go towards the growth and development of life saving medical programs in India.

Based on what I've seen, the villages and surrounding areas are in great need of this help. This cause is now very close to my heart.

Please remember that every little bit helps.

Link: To Donate

Thanks so much!

My Observations on India's Issue Of Sanitation

Every Monday we go out and visit one of the villages around Jamkhed town. CRHP does not do their work in Jamkhed town because its mission is to serve the poorest of the poor. The majority of the project villages are in remote areas where no one wants to serve.

I am going to try to paint a picture for you of what the villages look like....

In the first village there were many small huts scattered around. The houses made from cement or bricks are for the people of a higher caste. Human and animal feces lined the sides of the roads; no drainage system, no house has a toilet. The wells are only located near the brick homes. In the second village most of the houses were built of brick and cement. Soak pits are built along the road to eliminate stagnant run-off water. the roads are pretty clean. Approximately half of the homes had toilets. but what was very interesting was that due to lack of space inside the homes, some built toilets on their rooftop!

If you ask anyone what is the biggest obstacle in helping the villages progress it is a unanimous response - SANITATION! Toilets more specifically. It's a concern that the villagers have a hard time adjusting to. This I think has to do with the culture itself.

First, you would have to understand the caste system in India. The lowest caste does the dirty work - the work that no one else wants to do. Therefore, if you as a higher caste member (example Brahmin) have a toilet in your home, who would clean it? No one wants to clean the toilet so it is easier to use a bucket and take care of your "business" in the open air. While I hear conditions have improved there are still many improvements to be made.

Is there an easy answer or solution? I personally think, for sanitary purposes, the western toilets would not be the best solution. A modern version of latrines would be best and prevent the spread of infections.


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Photo Source: Sanitation Update

Reflection On What I Have Learned Thus Far

CRHP has planted a seed in me regarding community health based work. Community health was not really introduced to me until I took the Global Health course at Mount Sinai. I am seeing, first hand, the benefits of Community Health Programs during my stay here in India.

Coming from a developing country, Haiti, I completely understand the need and necessity for programs like CRHP. Such programs help the poor and marginalized to progress and develop on their own.

Other than the well known anthropologist, Paul Farmer, I have not heard of individuals doing this type of Global work in flew eloping nations and succeeding. I am completely sure that there have been NGOs that have attempted to do some work in various regions of Haiti and India; the problem is that many come for a few months then pack up and leave. They leave with their supplies and knowledge, thus leaving impoverished residents with nothing - incomplete interventions or projects. The common denominator in each case/country is lacking. The missing and most important ingredient is compassion. NGOs first need to understand the lives of the people and villages where they are based. Strategic planning coupled with knowledge and observation are essential to growth/progress for all those involved.

My coursework and personal experience thus far, have left me thinking about the subject matter in a more critical manner. There's true benefit to hands on experience!

Food for thought...

Aren't They Cute!!

Yesterday, we visited one of the schools that the organization, CRHP, has established. It is for the poor children of the village so they can learn English early.  They learn the necessary skills to prepare for the next grade such as discipline, organization,  social skills and  many more. The learning process is through playing! so much Fun!!

Aren't they cute?!

Video One:

Video Two:

I'll be taking and posting videos when I can. They say, "a picture is worth a thousand words," maybe video is too :)

For video updates, subscribe to:
My YouTube Channel

Be well. TTYS!

Crossing Over and Safe Arrival in India

So as a woman, of course I packed way too much! First goal was to only bring one suitcase and a carry-on. My bag was definitely over the 50lb limit (88lbs *head hung low*) the teller at the airport could not stop laughing! I had to remind them that I'm going for two months! A lady needs her stuff. Nonetheless, I purchased an overpriced duffel at the airport to separate my stuff.

The flights were pretty long. I slept through every time they were going around to take meal orders. My meals were all defaulted to vegetarian. LOL... so far so good, let's see how long I can keep this vegetarian thing up. They gave this snack on the plane that didn't quite go well with my taste buds...sort of like spicy noodles? Not my favorite! 

I'm In India!! Wow!

What a long journey to Jamkhed! JFK to London then London to Mumbai. The security is serious here on this side if the world! The US has nothing to complain about. I actually saw someone who had been tasered down by security. From Mumbai a car service met us at the airport to take us to Pune to then meet a CRHP representative to drive us to Jamkhed.

Everyone is pretty friendly so far. On the five hour drive to Pune from Mumbai the driver stopped next to another car (we got a little nervous since it was in the middle of the night) but it was so the other passengers could get into another car since we were going to different locations. From Pune, we met a the CRHP rep driving an Izuzu trooper in front of the Samrat Hotel. The driver was nice and we pulled over to have a light snack - some "tea." I probably had the best Chai tea I've ever had!

We arrived into Jamkhed at 7am the next morning just in time for class! Yes, class. I can express how tired I am but I think the endorphins have taken over. I am just so excited to be here the fatigue is taing a baack seat at this time. I am looking forward to coming back to my room and resting my head...

Talk to you soon.

Hello and Welcome

Howdy! Welcome to my little space in the blogisphere. It's the place where you will find all of my musings as I spend the next two months in Jamkhed, India. I plan to tell you of my teaching adventures, the people, the culture, the food, and any other interesting tid-bits I come across on my journey. I hope you enjoy the ride!

xoxo Na'Dege