Reflective Journal

Saturday, October 14, 2023

On second visit to the slum, we decided to explore the slum more closely. As we walked
through the narrow alleys and past the makeshift homes, I realized that the smell was coming
from the drainage system. Despite the unpleasant smell, I was fascinated by the people living in
the slum. They were friendly and welcoming, despite their difficult living conditions. I observed
that women were gathering at handpump, whenever I cross by the handpump. They used to
drink water from handpump.

The life of women is more challenging as she has to look after family and earn to support
family. Her day started with clean the house including cattle room, bring water from handpump
and prepare breakfast for all. And making ready the kids for school, she left the house for
domestic work in nearby flats. At noon, she came to prepare lunch for kids because the school
food was not enough to fill the stomach. Again she went for domestic work and came back at
late evening make dinner for all. They are worried about their kids because environment of
basti get pullulated by drugs and alcoholism. The major livelihood actives of male are daily
wage labors, Redhi shopkeepers, helper in garage, assist in shop of others. Over time, I came to
understand that life in the slum was not easy.

In our previous visit, we were not able to contact Anaganwadi shaiya & sathi. So, we decided to
know the services provided by Anganbari to basti kids and pregnant lady. The conditions of
Anagnwari center remind my field area center with broken window and no stuffs were there. As
expected the shaiya & sathi confimed that the documents were stolen, no record were present.
They explain their role and criticize the basti people for not sending their kids to center. Before
COVID, kids come to play but after lockdown, women not got the work and they keep stay at
home with kids.

Anganwadi sahiya is associated with SOS as an Educator for the basti kids.

To know the name Aredhi village, we decided to visited village. Mean while we meet a street
shop keeper, we get the direction of village and panchayat bhawan. Village was full of greenery
and one pond was the source of water and reason for greenery in the village. At the entrance,
there was Aredhi Government school and Health & wellness center in one compound.
A warm discussion with one of member of Shankar kahdan, we got to know the slum had a 60
years plus history of settlement. Earlier, people come for job in crusher site and later the
worker with family settle at the site and time passes by and more people looking for work came
to city and settle there. This process continues and people from across the state come and
settle there.