Well, here I am, out in the world again. After a much needed two weeks at home for Christmas with my family, I find myself here in India for Winter Term. What am I doing here, you may ask? For the month of January, I am helping out some friends, Jack and Katie, with a documentary on health care alternatives in India, and doing a short Photovoice project.
I am spending one week in Mumbai, the 2nd largest city in the world, photographing and filming with one of the coolest social businesses I have ever encountered, an organization that provides health care insurance and quality healthcare at fair costs for people living in the slums of Mumbai, called Swasth India. So far, it’s been eye opening and inspiring to see the work of two former computer scientists who decided they wanted to give up their comfortable lifestyles in order to help the poorest of the poor in their country have access to affordable healthcare in their communities.
Tomorrow, we will be pick up an Elon Public Health class as well as a Periclean Scholars class from the airport. (There are two Winter Term groups from Elon coming over here as well, so I will get to be part of the Elon group during my independent experiences.) We’ll head out on an overnight bus to Jamkhed, where we will stay for about 2 weeks at the Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP). There, I will continue to help Jack with the documentary as well as run a Photovoice project with my friend Annie. (The Elon classes will be working on various projects in the communities that CRHP serves).
From Jamkhed we will travel north to Delhi and Agra where we will see the Taj Mahal and other sights with the two class groups. I’ll continue to visit innovative health organizations with Jack to include them in the film.
It is great to be here in India. I’m learning so much after only a few days here, and my mind is spinning trying to compare and contrast this place to other Asian countries I have visited. This is my last big adventure before I graduate in May, so I am planning on soaking up every second of it, and as usual, sharing what I can with you : )
