Remember those games we used to play when we were younger when we would act like grown-ups and take on the roles we saw, like parents or police officers or teachers?
Well I used to play those games as well, I was always the boss, no matter what role my sisters wanted to play I was going to be the judge, doctor, parent etc but the teacher was my favourite. Coming up with syllabi and making illegible worksheets made me feel excited, it was fun, and I even loved correcting their “homework” as well. So, it’s safe to say that teaching has always been a part of me that has continued to this day. Now the question remains, why India?
It all started when I was 14, I was visiting family in Nigeria after almost a decade apart. The hustle and bustle of catching up with old friends and family often ended with movie nights in the living room. Bollywood media is pretty big in Nigeria, as most of the cable providers do have a few Indian networks available. I quickly got to a point where all I watched were Bollywood movies and shows. Krishi, East Meets West, Silver Lining, King of Hearts, etc all had me in a chokehold, with their delayed dubs and twisted plotlines, the music videos in between the ads added a flare of excitement and acted as a way to cut through the deep emotions and effects these shows had on me, they were a fun way to dance about in the living room, dusting out the mundane cobwebs of normalcy and routine. I found myself humming and singing along to the songs, unsure of my pronunciation and having no clue what the lyrics meant but that didn’t matter. The colours, sounds, dances, and costumes were enough for me.
This sparked my love for India and the richness of its history. I found it easy to dive deep into this world as it reminded me of Nigeria in many different ways, from the diversity of culture within provinces, the various languages and customs, the strong cuisine and large meals, the fresh fruits and the hot sun. It was like looking at a piece of text. The same colour but in a different font
I knew I wanted to go and I had always looked for the chance. When the LiA popped up there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to go there, I just didn’t know what to expect. In my head was the western and glamourized version and beautiful and glamourous people in spectacular outfits having the most fun celebrations and while that was there, it definitely wasn’t 100% the case, I saw a much more 3D image of people (it must be noted that I was in only one province of Odisha and that customs vary greatly between areas). I met the Adivasis, an indigenous tribal group of India that has been a focal point of Indian Heritage standing against long-standing British colonialism for hundreds of years.
I landed in Mumbai less than 24 hrs after completing my last college exam, the exhaustion catching up to me in an instant but the journey was far from over. I still had another flight to Bhubaneswar before a 10-hour train to Bhawanipatna where I would be staying. As I stepped off the plane and immediately felt the heat, I a strange sense of familiarity, like I knew this land even though I had never visited before.
From the moment I left the bustling city of Bhawanipatna and crossed into the quiet village of Kaniguma, I realised that I had stepped into a place that many people have never seen before, if asked to picture a village, we may have our mental vision of it, but there are often so many details that are left out or simply not thought of. Life right here is very calm and slow-moving. People don’t get too worked up about anything, they just move on with their lives and go about their days. Many times as I was walking around, I would see the villagers farming with their families to get ready for the next season. There is no heavy-duty machinery or equipment. Just nature and quiet. They use methods passed down to them through the generations. These seasons are the biggest dictators of their lives, they eat what they harvest and nothing more, and importing highly processed foods isn’t normal to them. I highly doubt they would be used to naturally coloured and heavily processed sweets etc. Even the sweet treats are just made of natural ingredients with a bit of sugar. A local, natural diet combined with plenty of physical activity made for some very independent elders. That is something I really admired about the community there. These elders didn't make use of so many machines or aides as seen in the West.
During my time, I had a heightened sense of awareness because I was not as glued to the phone. I feel more present and almost free. The people here aren’t chasing a corporate ladder all the time and most of them are satisfied with where they are. Most rarely leave the village and are unaware of the world outside of their town. It did bring up the question of whether was it because they were truly happy or because they had never been exposed to anything outside their environment.
It is often said that when opportunity meets education, great things can arise from anywhere. When people are educated on what’s possible and are given the opportunity, they take it with both hands.
That’s where Swasthya Swaraj comes in, a non-profit organization founded in 2014. This organization aims to provide quality healthcare and training to the poorest and most isolated communities in rural India. Such a mission, that many people would be unable to do, but the Swasthya Swaraj team makes it look so easy. Their ability to quickly adapt and adjust when circumstances become less ideal is admirable. Seeing the impact of their work in the community was an eye-opener to not only how privileged I was, but how vast the gap is between the haves and the have-nots. The hospital, although considered small by Western standards serves as a beacon of hope in the community, local people get a chance to improve their quality of life and educate themselves on the hidden dangers of their everyday lives. Illnesses that may have meant a certain death sentence are now not so with the help of the Swasthya Swaraj Organization.
My job was to teach English to the girls in the DCHP. This is a branch of Swasthya Swaraj where young girls from the local villages will take a 2-year nursing course, after which they will go back and serve in the health centres set up by the Swasthya Swaraj organization. The sheer determination and comradery of these young women to better themselves and serve others is admirable and it was a privilege to be a part of that journey.
Seeing how hard the team works and the love they have for the community and each other has inspired me to look outward and not just look at what I want to do for myself but what I can do for others. As commanded in the bible “Love your neighbour as yourself”. This concept was seen throughout my time here and it was an honour to participate in it.