Short answer:
Welcome to India!
Long answer:
The village of Kardala is inked with irony on every street corner. Since living in this village located in the desert, we are extremely conservative with the water usage. Recently I was carrying jugs from the communal water tank to my neighbour’s house, when my neighbour directed me to pour the limited water onto the bricks which lay basking in the sun. In disbelief I tried to protest but eventually submitted to watering the dirty bricks. Similarly it has taken two whole months to fundraise and then replace the leaking water taps at the three tanks. Surely water usage would be a high priority in an area with water scarcity? Unfortunately there is a large disconnection between the use of water and the impacts on the whole community.
A second paradox relates to the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), who’s newly assigned position is vacant as she is on maternity leave herself. As there is no real replacement, I can only imagine that she will be delivering her own baby? Considering that the nearest hospital is 45km away, there is a pressing need for a medical professional to visit the people of Kardala. This week we organised a nurse to facilitate informative workshops on female health to celebrate International Women’s Day. However the sessions was condensed as the nurse was pulled away half way through to conduct vaccinations. Likewise we organised a workshop conducted by the reputable NGO Barefoot College, who train rural women in self-sustaining skills such as making biodegradable sanitary pads. for some reason the Barefoot college facilitators spent 30 minutes of the 1 hour slot drinking chai in a villager’s house. It’s frustrating as the villagers request medical advice, yet there is limited allocated time and people to deliver this.
A further incredible contradiction regards the government scheme called NREGA, which creates employment to unemployed individuals to support their village, such as cleaning the village streets. In the village of Kardala, there are around 50 people employed on this scheme, who are paid a fair salary of 150 Rupees a day. Yet as inconceivable as it may seem, the NREGA workers have yet to be seen working as they sit under the shaded tree, play cards and nap. In comparison, the school cooks slave for hours in the hot confined kitchen for 40 Rupees a day. We have tried to protest with the local level politicians, but they’re too occupied playing cards under the infamous shaded tree.
On the subject of school, we recently learnt about the corruption at local and government level. The School Management Committee (SMC) supposedly meets monthly ‘on the day of the dark moon’. However most members don’t attend meetings, partly as they are busy (playing cards), or because they’re unaware that they are an SMC member. Of those who do ‘attend’, they only bring their pens to sign the relevant documents to meet the quota.
We attended one SMC meeting, where we learnt of the corruption and fear controlling the SMC and teachers. An example was disclosed that the district level government supply quality food to primary school, however once distributed, suppliers swap the quality food and replace it with expired food, where the weight is amplified with stones and hay. One teacher justly filed a complaint, which was followed up with an anonymous phone call warning death threats, thus he was coerced into silence. It’s a helpless situation.
SMC meeting
I have only written about the inconsistencies that have affected me; however I must reflect about my pre-conceived notions of education, health and employment associated with living in the UK. Although the issues sound hard-hitting, they are relative; the villagers have not experienced anything different, and therefore most people are happy. For my next blog post I will write how the quaint village of eccentricities has positively imprinted on my life.
Dr Daniella Watson 