April 23th, 2008

April 23, 2008

Hello friends and family,

Go to the people

Live among them,

Learn from them,

Love them.

Start with what they know.

Build on what they have.

But of the best leaders,

When their task is accomplished,

Their work is done,

The people will remark,

‘We have done it ourselves’.

--Chinese proverb

After visiting Corbett National Park last week, I came down with a gastrointestinal infection—full with a high fever, body aches, and loose bowel movements. I initially had no idea that it was a GI infection. I was concerned that it may be malaria or dengue fever, although diarrhea is not often a symptom of those two diseases. The sudden onset of the fever was what concerned me most. I went to CHIRAG’s rural health clinic for the doctor and some medicines. Despite the unassuming appearance of the clinic, it was surprisingly well stocked with a variety of antibiotics. They even managed to perform a blood test—with a disposable syringe, of course, from which they squirted the blood into a small vial. Some drops of the blood splashed onto the doctor’s gloveless hands, which left me slightly mortified and amused. But this was another reminder to me that things do get done in India, maybe at the expense of the doctor’s immune system. He did copiously wash his hands afterwards, though.

Despite their unique regulations on hygiene, the doctors at CHIRAG’s clinic are very knowledgeable. In addition to their knowledge, they present an air of unpretentiousness and humility that is distinctly absent from many western doctors that I’ve seen. Madhavanji—the current executive director of CHIRAG—told me that finding doctors who want to work in this rural setting is very difficult. The doctors who do vouch to come, are indeed a rare breed.

I’d like to reevaluate my own aspirations to become a rural doctor. For some time now, I’ve had the dreams to work in rural India as village doctor. I can’t say that these dreams are shattered, but they are definitely placed in a new perspective. From living in rural India for a month where development work is happening, I’ve learned that the term development is unexpectedly loaded with contradiction and complexity. Many NGOs rush into a less-technologically-developed community with the hopes of ‘bringing them out of their darkness’ by improving their technological, social, and medical infrastructures. But what does darkness mean? Similar to the occupation of Tibet, what justifies the Chinese to say that they are bringing the Tibetans out of a period of serfdom? Finally, what does less-developed mean? Does having more technological gadgets make a community more developed than one without them? In terms of moral development, I can argue that the morality of the Tibetan community is ages ahead of the Chinese—based on their basis in the peaceful Buddhist religion. These are all things that one must consider when doing development work, like working with an NGO. One who wishes to work in sustainable development needs to not only have the volition to help others, but also a sense of humility and willingness to integrate themselves into the community. The best way to discern the needs of your target community is to listen and understand their situations. And to do this, you must live among the people to get a good understanding of their customs, society, and culture. After all, how can you solve a problem without understanding the problem itself and the context that surrounds it?

To be able to integrate an NGO into a community is so difficult. I had the privilege of meeting the elderly but lively founders of CHIRAG—Kanaiji and Lakshmiji Lall. Kanaiji originally worked in the corporate world. After living for some time in Manhattan, he decided to return to Delhi to form an NGO in the central Himalaya. One key thing that he succinctly said was that he wanted to be economically sound before partaking in any development work. In fact, he had no idea that he wanted to form CHIRAG, but he felt that he no longer had any passion for his work in the corporate world. After all, what is the point of making so much money? As such, CHIRAG was born out of both hard work and coincidence. Kanaiji had many influential friends that headed hospitals etc. and he had their help to set up the two first initiatives of CHIRAG: health care and forestry.

The introduction of CHIRAG into the Kumaon was initially met with a lot of suspicion, due to the community’s unsatisfactory experiences with previous NGOs. But what CHIRAG did differently was that it recruited locals as employees. It also, unlike previous NGOs, worked with the people instead of working for the people—similar to the ‘show a man to fish’ deal. By establishing a strong rapport with the locals, CHIRAG’s became a 20+ year success in the region. Empowering the people is key.

On this note, I’d like to bring your attention back to the Chinese proverb given at the beginning of this update. It was written in the front cover of the annual report of CHIRAG. It is such a beautiful passage and it envelops all of what sustainable development should be. Here, you should read it again:

Go to the people

Live among them,

Learn from them,

Love them.

Start with what they know.

Build on what they have.

But of the best leaders,

When their task is accomplished,

Their work is done,

The people will remark,

‘We have done it ourselves’.

Did you find a difference between your first and second reading?

And I mailed out most of the requested post cards. Not all. But most. Still, I can’t guarantee that they will arrive at their respective destinations. Mail pilfering is definitely not uncommon. However, have patience. One of the many things that I’ve learned here is that things get done in India, but at their own pace. And even in the darkest of times, India always manages to surprise you, in a positive way.

Regards,

--Vania