The End is Nigh

The end is in sight for IY1’s stay in Pura as we attempt to wrap up all our projects and plans before our departure in a week. Another two health camps have been completed alongside health awareness education. Certain member’s artistry skills have been coming out as we finish painting murals on the eco- sanitation units, the kindergarten and the school wall. Everybody has been taking the opportunity to get involved and immerse ourselves in the local culture in the last few days.

The team are getting pretty efficient as professional crowd control with health camps number two and three under their belts. Number two was held in the conjoining villages of Kohala and Degalundy and led by Balu. Due to late doctors (there was an emergency at the hospital) we had to entertain the crowds with a few improvised games of kabadi. Unsurprisingly the Indians beat the Brits comfortably (although they did have Shankar, our cook, who turned out to be lethal on the pitch). After such an energetic start the camp actually went very smoothly and calmly compared with the chaos of our first experience in Pura.

Four days later we ventured further afield to the village of Maladundy for our final camp led by Jo. In the run up to the camp we soon got used to the hour long walk that to the village to confirm logistics, carry out surveys, promotion and health education. Luckily our walk took us right past our friend Kampana’s house – big thank you for the excellent lunch. The day was the busiest yet with 124 patients registered. This time we started on time despite the teacher’s insistence that we participate in the all school assembly when we were trying to set up. The school location proved to be slightly stressful with unsupervised classes, labourers digging foundations for a new building and teachers and school presidents trying to jump the queue. While it was relief to see the last patient leave the doctors room overall the experience of the three health camps have been extremely positive and we are hoping that they will become a regular feature of life in Pura with the continued support of the new self help groups.

On Monday the 3^rd December the team had their long anticipated day trip to experience more of Karnataka. We were up at 5am for the 4hr bus drive to an elephant sanctuary that wasn’t there. So we jumped back on the bus for another 2 hr journey to Durbar forest where there is a big river that we were not allowed to cross. We settled for a paddle in the shallows as we watched the elephants across the water. Back on the bus our next destination was the Buddhist golden temple. The impressive monastery was a welcome calm and while meditating to reach Nirvana Gavin had an epiphany to loose the beard (the following day we all helped and Gavin lost 5 years and most of his authority). Despite the slow start we all had a good a day and picked up some tourist gifts including Tibetan prayer flags, beads and about 7 pairs of harem pants between us.

The team have been getting stuck in and paint splattered for Daryl’s’ secondary project to paint the kindergarten and school. We are becoming well practiced at depicting vegetables as we paint an 8 foot wide Eatwell plate on the side of the school along with some dancing fruit and veg for the front of the kindergarten. The old drab kindergarten has been transformed with these additions plus the huge rainbow that spans across it. On the outside of the school wall we have update the existing village map to show the 10 brand spanking new eco-sanitation toilets. Plus we have revitalised the timeline we collected in the first week to supplement the map with facts and dates about the village.

Last week the girls were lucky enough to participate in a home stay with friends from the village. Daryl and Meera stayed in Basavanna the village leader’s home learning to cook chappathi and poppadoms. Jo and Jade helped pick cotton and discussed politics with Rajana, one of the eco-sanitation beneficiaries. All four of us ate way beyond capacity out of politeness – I’m sure they can’t cook that much food every meal.

One of our proudest achievement as a team is the start-up of three male self help groups within the space of three days, with a potential fourth in the pipeline. A lot of credit goes to Shivu and Nagu for talking at meetings and tirelessly working to get them set up, also to Jamie who has patiently sat through every meeting and made countless trips in the heat of the day to the bank in Hampapura. These groups are a fantastic way of developing the community and its members through micro-financing, promising a good future for Pura.

On Sunday the 9^th December the team was invited for lunch at our cook Shangpa’s house. After we caught the highlights of India v England test cricket we sat down for an excellent lunch and learnt the secrets of our favourite dish, coconut chutney. Later on in the evening back home in Pura we were surprised when the entire family plus a few hangers on turned up for chai and biscuits. Spontaneous Indian culture at its best. They insist we go back next Sunday – shame its our last otherwise we could become regulars.

A busy week lies ahead as we fit in our last day trip to Mysore, a health education day at the school, a village wide drainage cleaning day and as many parties as possible before we say goodbye to Pura.

That’s all from IY1

(written 12th December)

Happy birthday Alistair from Gavin and all of IY1

Happy birthday to Claire Bear, love you lots Love Daryl and all of IY1

Happy birthday wee bro! Love you and have a great day Mikey! Daryl and all of IY1