Project Samvedena in Action

A peek in one of the slums where Maitri's Project Samvedena is operating

On our way to the community meeting

Doug sitting in on a Domestic Violence workshop

Community members participating in important conversations about violence against women

          On Monday we had the opportunity to go and visit a slum Maitri works in. Maitri works in this area through its Project Samvedena. The main goal of the program in his area is to conduct a survey to better understand the presence of violence against women in this community and communities like it. We arrived and sat in on a community meeting in a small room where an outreach worker talked about issues relating to gender violence. The group of people there was very diverse and included young girls and boys maybe 4 years old to teenage boys and mothers with children. All of these people from this community were able to come together and learn about gender violence prevention. It was an inspiration to see these conversations taking place and especially to see young children being exposed to the importance of not perpetuating violence and knowing how to report and respond to such violence.

A Tour of Project Jeevan's Lunch Kitchen

This weekend Doug and I toured the facilities Maitri works with to provide the lunch meal everyday to over 500 widows of Vrindavan. While we were in Vrindavan we only visited one Maitri ran facility which served lunch to roughly 100 women. The work Maitri does is huge, but it is sobering to know while the work is a large force for good the need is so great that currently it can't reach all the widows in need. There’s a study from the Indian government that estimates the number of widowed beggars in Vrindavan to be 3,000.

Though currently Maitri cannot help every Vrindavan widow, every widow Maitri helps is grateful not only for the material services provided, but more especially for the dignity and respect returned to them as they live out their later years

Here’s Doug in the cafeteria where we served lunch:

And now I’ll take you for a tour of where the food came from:

A roti roller - rotis also known as chapatis, for those of you who don't know, are a wheat flat bread similar to a tortilla.

Dough hooks to make rotis

That machine produces 10,000 rotis per hour (RPH!)

Cutting up veggies for lunch!

The work is endless

Just a couple of the dishes waiting to be scrubbed

So you can see the scale - those pots are massive

I don't know what this does, but I liked all the buttons and lights

And there you have it.

Visiting Project Awaaz

Doug and Shrey in front of the office Project Awaaz operates in the field from (separate from the project office)

    

Today we had the opportunity to visit the Awaaz Project. Upon arrival we were met by Piyali, who is the project's program manager. She began by telling us a little bit about the main aims of the project. She explained to us that the project helps migrant workers who are primarily bicycle rickshaw pullers with health issues related to STIs specifically HIV/AIDS. The project also focuses on helping the migrant workers access their citizenship rights. Maitri helps them register so they are not only able to vote, but so they also may benefit from the different social services provided by the Indian government. Along with helping these workers gain citizenship rights, Maitri also helps them establish basic bank accounts, so they can safely keep their money.

After giving us a brief introduction of the project Piyali told us to follow her as she showed us around the small community. Though the community the people were living in wasn’t very large she said that during July there will be close to 5,000 people living there. She explained how most of the migrant workers travel to Delhi in the summer months after they completed farm work they participate in. When we were there a decent number of people were about, however this was during their work day. It is hard to imagine what the camp must be like when all of the workers are there at night. The workers residing in the camp live in small makeshift houses

Seeing the large group of migrant workers made me wonder about the role globalization, more specifically market liberalization, plays in making rural farm subsistence not as viable of option as it once was. Upon further research my suspicions were confirmed. India’s rural farm sector has suffered under market liberalization and structural adjustment plans. Prices for agricultural production has fallen given the influx of cheaper produced crops as import duties have been lowered. Not only this, but India has decreased subsidies for farmers, and restructured the public distribution system. The lack of year around employment opportunities forces these workers to come to Delhi in search of work. When people think about market liberalization and globalization they often think about the successes of such occurrences, but they don’t realize that many people are negatively affected. For me seeing this many migrant workers living in such poor conditions is yet another acknowledgement of how real the consequences of international actions can be on a local scale.

Hello and Namaste

Katie Hyde and Douglas Simpson pictured in front of Maitri's headquarters

I’d like to use my first blog post with Maitri to let you know a little about myself. I am Doug Simpson and I am a recent graduate of the University of Utah, where I received my degree in International Studies, while minoring in political science. My major emphasis was international development, an area I am very interested in. In the fall I will be attending graduate school at George Washington University to study International Development. I am looking forward to spending this summer with Maitri in New Delhi and have enjoyed my short time here thus far.

I grew up in Boise, the capital of the State of Idaho. I spent all of my childhood and adolescent life there, only moving to go to college at the University of Utah. Living in a state like Idaho afforded me many opportunities that make up some of my interests and hobbies. I am an avid skier and have been skiing since my Dad taught me at the age of two and a half years old. I also love to spend time in the mountains hiking and backpacking. Given my love for the mountains, it is one of my goals to travel to see the Himalayas while I am in India.

I have always enjoyed traveling and have tried to travel as much as possible. I have traveled to a number of European countries, along with, China, and Taiwan. I spent a couple of months in China studying Chinese at Tianjin University last summer, which was a great learning experience.

I have always been interested in international affairs and more specifically issues of international development. I knew I wanted to gain more practical experience in areas relating to development and more specifically human and social aspects of development. Being at the University of Utah the Hinckley Institute of Politics provides many opportunities for students to intern abroad. I talked to Lisa, a previous Maitri intern about potential internships that would fit my interests. She suggested Maitri, and it seemed to fit my areas of interest, so here I am. I am excited to intern for Maitri given its focus on social issues, such as violence against women, care for elderly widows, helping migrant populations, and helping disadvantage populations gain marketable skills. 

I hope to be able to be a valuable asset in my time here at Maitri and I hope to be able to learn a great deal from this experience. Not only do I hope to learn a great deal from my time at Maitri, but I hope I will be able to explore India, learning about its people, history, and culture.

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            I (Katie Hyde) am coming to Maitri India from the University of Utah’s College of Social Work. I will be graduating this semester with an Honors Bachelors of Social Work and minors in Chinese and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, pending the successful completion of my practicum here at Maitri. I came to Maitri because of their work with women’s issues like gender based violence, and the abuse and abandonment of widows. This work is important to me personally and I am grateful to have this opportunity to learn as I work in the field and the office with Maitri, which has been working with these populations for nearly ten years. The other focus I find myself drawn to is public health. I am strongly considering attending graduate school in the near future in a public health program.  Maitri works in the area of HIV/AIDS education, testing, and counseling, especially with those from the most vulnerable populations. I look forward to making a field trip to their ICTC office and learning more about that branch of their organization.

I love good stories and find a lot of enjoyment in conversations with others, good books, and film.  Before coming to Maitri my last paying job was in a local chocolate shop where I gained a taste for truffles and crèmes and learned to discern what comes within each chocolate. Next month my husband and I will celebrate our year and a half mark of marriage. I am lucky to have a man who supports me in my wild ambitions and does not resent that I’ve left for the summer to live and work in India. I am an amateur creative and dabble in photography (my favorite), sketching, pastels, and writing. Mostly I do this for my own pleasure, though this summer I am venturing onto blogs so we’ll see how much I share there. I derive joy from seeing places I’ve never been before, whether that’s a new country or a new bus route home.

I’ve been in New Delhi now for one week. India is the thirty third country that I have visited (and fifth to reside in), but everything here is new and delightsome - the smells, the sights, the tastes. I am trying to immerse myself as much as I can. I have been eating Indian food every meal (it’s heaven!) and am trying desperately to learn Hindi. I wander around the apartment and the office quietly muttering Hindi phrase like “Thank you, breakfast was terrific,” “I am going to the office,” or “How much is it?” Yesterday I strolled through the back streets of my neighborhood passing cricket matches, peering in shrines, and wandering. At one point the sweetest fragrance struck me, the delicate smell of a yellow flowering tree. Every way I turn I am newly captivated. Basically, I am happy to be here.

My Last Weekend

Well, my last weekend in India is up. I spend it doing some sightseeing (long overdue) around Delhi and it was a blast. Friday night Anna and I went for dinner at my favorite restaurant, Fez. It's a Mediterranean restaurant and bar with the most amazing falafel and hummus to be found in Delhi.



Humayan's Tomb

Saturday, I visited Humayan's tomb. It was absolutely beautiful and reminded me of the Taj Mahal. I also saw Isa Khan's tomb while I was there and it was gorgeous as well. The day was extremely hot so I only spent about an hour and a half there, but it was well worth it. The grounds are nearly as beautiful as the buildings. There are so many trees, flowers, and fountains. Everything is so green.




A collage of some of the structures at Humayan's Tomb, including Isa Khan's Tomb

That night Anna and I decided to head to Hauz Khas Village once more. We hung out on Amour's rooftop balcony that night and had a great time. I decided to try a "Cheesecake Martini" which was pretty delicious. It tasted like strawberry cheesecake and had ice cream in it. They also dipped the rim in Pop Rocks haha. It was definitely the most interesting thing I've had to drink here.

The Lotus Temple

Yesterday, I visited Delhi's most famous Baha'i House of Worship, the Lotus Temple. It's an impressive structure to come across and a must-see for anyone visiting Delhi. The temple is open to anyone, from any religion, to worship. It's obvious that the name of the temple comes from its appearance of a Lotus flower, but the beauty doesn't stop on the outside. Once you're inside, you can see just how beautiful the ceiling is. The interesting architecture can also be viewed well from inside too.





Last night I headed to India Gate with a friend from work. He drove us on his motorcycle and I was slightly terrified. It was my first time on a motorcycle and I couldn't imagine a more dangerous place to drive, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. I had seen India Gate from a distance quite a few times, but was struck at its enormity once I was actually right there. I learned that it's a war memorial to commemorate the lives of Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British in WWI. I was also shocked at the sheer number of people there. It seemed like half of Delhi was there. I also tried something called Meetha Paan, which is a type of sweet (kind of tasted like cranberries) wrapped in a big leaf. I was a bit apprehensive, but it was delicious.

India Gate

My weekend was so much fun, but bittersweet. I'm definitely going to miss India and all that it has offered me. It's been such an incredible journey and it's certainly been a life-changing experience. I've learned so much about Indian culture and the beautiful people who live here.  I know I won't forget this experience for as long as I live.

GOA!!!

This past week was spent lounging around on the beautiful sandy beaches of South Goa. Taking a vacation after preparing for Maitri's conference, Hilary and I took full advantage of the fact that we were in paradise. We spent the majority of our days at Bogmalo Beach. It was fairly secluded (at least compared the beaches in North Goa) and couldn't have been prettier. The sand and water were so warm. The water was so clear and bright. It can't get better than that.

On the second day we were there a woman named Leela came over to us, explaining that she just had to come say hello because we were "just so white!" We thought it odd that she would be so surprised by our pale skin because there were quite a few people with white skin on the beach as well. Apparently we are just sooo pale that we still stand out. Awesome. She came back to us a few days later and just couldn't believe that we were still so pale. She told us that she thought we'd have become at least a little darker. She was nice though and we had a nice time talking to her and visiting her shop.



One day we traveled from Vasco to North Goa to meet Anna's family! They were. without a doubt, some of the sweetest, kindest people I've ever met. Anna's grandmother made us a feast for lunch. She made fried fish, masala crusted prawns, boiled prawns, chicken, potatoes, rice, salad, and homemade pickles. It was seriously amazing. We were stuffed.

After lunch we went with Anna's dad, Edward, to explore North Goa. It was an amazing experience. Edward knows so much about Goa and took us all around. We saw Reis Magos Fort (my favorite part), Calangute, Baga beach, and some really beautiful churches. He explained to us the Portuguese influence in Goa and told us a bit about the history of the people.

Overall, it was such an incredible experience. Goa is just absolutely gorgeous and the people there are so warm and friendly. It's such a change from the crazy, loud, fast-paced buzz of Delhi. Everything is slower, quieter, calmer. It's the perfect place for some serious R&R. It's definitely a must see for anyone traveling to India. Safe to say, I didn't want to leave by the end of it. It really is paradise and I'm counting the days until I can go back!!

 

Many Voices, One Movement: Ending Sexual Violence in India

March 20th saw the beginning of Maitri's annual conference to end violence against women in India. It was a two day event filled with amazing experts and speakers on a wide range of issues all relating to violence against women. The keynote address was given by Kathleen Cravero, president of the Oak Foundation. Along with Ms. Cravero, we heard speeches from Tripti Tandon (Lawyers Collective) who spoke about the effects of criminalizing gay sex and Dr. Madhumita Puri (SFCD, Pragya) who shed light on the challenges facing persons with disabilities when trying to establish their sexuality. We also heard from Colleen Kovatch (George Washington University) who spoke about what happens once a survivor of sexual or domestic assault seeks medical attention.

These speakers, along with many other experts, educated the audience on topics including: Communication with Police and Medical Services; Violence against elderly women; Sexuality in persons with disabilities; LGBT experiences in India; Sexual harassment in the workplace; and, Sexual violence in conflict zones.

The event was a major success for Maitri as these issues were promoted on a wide scale to a broad audience. People were educated on areas of sexual violence that aren't always talked about and will be able to bring that awareness to their own lives, careers, and activism.