To the Chaar Number Bridge

In the evening my phone rangs. I can hear but the other side not…the microphone in my phone is a little mess. It is Kuttush, our translator and beloved trustee, who calls me. Next day we are going to the Slum, and he is coming straight from college. Could I go and buy the milk we are going to deliver there. He has some bags in his house, but he cannot take it to the school with him.

So I go, and order 10 kilos of Amulspray. It will arrive next day, just in time before we need to go.

The next day I wait for Celine at Sudder Street. She is the founder of Gimme Shelter and works mostly at close by area “New Market”. She gives medical help around this area as well as helps the people at the slum. She has come to find two of her regular customers, who are drug users, to tell them about new rehabilitation project she has found. She has already talked to another, the other one is not yet found. Celine tells, that week before there had been some problems with police disturbing the people living on the streets at the market place and they have relocated for a while.

We go to collect some things from my room, that my dear friends have donated from Finland. Gloves and dressing materials, some eye glasses and a small wrist blood pressure monitor. She can use this for both adults and children and it is light to carry around. She is already loaded with huge backbag filled with medicines and other stuff needed for first aid.

Then I take the milk and we take a taxi to Chaar Number Bridge, where the slum is. First though, we take a quick stop at her house, located real close to the bridge, to find rest of the needed things. We also meet Aline a French girl who has helped Celine the past month, and her boyfriend who both are coming with us to the slum.

We are carrying so much stuff, that we need to take rickshaws, cycle versions. It is a simple carriage behind a bicycle, that a thin but strong Indian man is paddling. Soon I see the familiar blocks and start to smile. I am back again!

First I see Pinky, daughter of Rani who we are helping. Pinky is going to school thanks to the donors of Responsible charity, and Rani is getting salary for staying home with her youngest child. Before it was Pinky who stayed home, taking care of the baby. Pinky does not see me first but greets Celine with a huge smile. And then she notices me too and the smile widens. She leads us quickly through the groups of people sitting on the road side.

Slum is located right next to a big bridge crossing the railways, and cars keep passing, especially as it is rush hour, just after 4pm. Familiar faces keep coming and they greet and hug, and give kisses on cheeks. This is somewhat unfamiliar way to greet here. But volunteers from Spain have taught them this habit. Normally in India you put your palms together infront of you, bow a little and say Namaste. By now I am already used to this and there must be tens of kisses on my cheeks after tonight. People are happy to see familiar faces, many people have come and gone, most of them promising to come back. Not everybody can do it of course. But now I have come back as I promised, and they are delighted!

We start by going into Banus house. Her son has been sick, and Celine has promised to check him up. By her door we meet Kutush too. He is right away taken in, to translate the symptoms. And soon Banus house has turned into a clinic. People keep coming with their various health issues. At the same time Kuttush gives the milk bags, writing on the top of the name of the person receiving it, and the date when it was giving. it is a habit, that to get the new bag later, they have to return this one empty.

Banus daughter has become familiar with us. Before she was shy but now she is running in my feet and smiling and greeting many times.

Baby that was born just before I left last may has grown big and healthy. She was born pre mature and I was worried she could not survive the heat and rains of summer monsoon. But these people, they are Strong. A new baby is born and she is brought for me to see. One more is due within two months.

The latest member of the family

Many of the babies have colds. Over and over again it is told to keep their noses and ears clean, and something warm in the feet. In the middle of the dirt it is of course easy to get flu or other simple diseases, but it is not good to keep taking meds for it.

Older people have lots of pains in their muscles, most probably due hard work they have to do by carrying water and having to bend for everything from washing clothes to cooking.

There is no electricity and the light from nearby big advertisement is the only light we get. Celine has one headlamp to see closer the wounds of the feet of kids and the rash of the mothers. Everybody is sweating as there is at least 10 people stuffed inside the small hut. Suddenly the light comes, the fan starts to run and everybody is smiling again. But happiness is shortly lived. The electricity goes off just 2 minutes after. Connection to power is illegal and you never know when you can get it. Luckily the weather will soon be cooler, and it will be easier to be.

After the long queue is getting shorter, me and Kuttush we go to see Sultani, one of the families we have helped from the very beginning by building her a new house. She seems upset, and we have discussion. She is also suffering from fever and soon Celine comes in too, continuing the clinic in her house. Milk is still delivered, all together to 10 houses that has toddlers.

Next we go to see Rani who is complaining that the tutor we are paying salary to help 3 kids from the slum with their studies is not coming. We promise to check her, and later we meet her on the alley. She has been suffering from weakness because fasting for Ramadan, and is back now. She receives her salary and we decide to let her continue but keep an eye on her. If she is not coming, we can change.

It is getting dark already but we have two more addresses to go. Sarfaroz lives just outside this area. He is not home but we meet him soon on the street. We deliver him some medicines from Celine and ask about his condition. He is suffering from rare blood disease and needs to get blood transfusions. He has just had the last one on Saturday before.Payment for these for the next months are already payed by RC. Sarfaroz seems to be fine and happy to see us.

Last person to meet is Ismael. He had been before in a bad accident and almost lost his leg. But thanks to Gimme Shelter and Responsible Charity he is doing better. He receives as well some medicines and we plan on a check up at Mercy hospital for next Thursday.

At last we are done. Kuttush heads for his train and I take auto-rickshaw to Sudder street. It was not that many hours but it was intense and I feel tired. I quickly eat in my favorite dining place Khalsa restaurant (some chapatti and paneer cheese) and head for bed.

That was a quite regular day of the volunteer in Kolkata.

The soon to be mother and Celine doing check up