The Kalva Slums

Monday, The Kalva Slums

The census commissioner of India, C. Chandramouli determined that "A slum, for the purpose of census, has been defined as residential areas where dwellings are unfit for human habitation by reasons of dilapidation, overcrowding ... lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facility."

As the stench grows increasingly worse along the train ride, one knows they are but a few steps away from the Mumbai slum grounds; for us, it also means we are just a few minutes away from a day’s work—well, I wouldn’t quite call it work though, volunteers from the UK, America and Israel, and nearly one-hundred children aging from 3-10, make it a meaningful experience every time.

Every morning, we, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM) fellows, enter the Kalva (pr. Kalwa) Slums to teach English, Social sciences, Music (and love) to four different classes. Our curriculum is built around the idea that we have nearly two months with the children and therefore, we should be aiming to reach the following goals:

1) Skill and content based knowledge.
2) Self-confidence in all areas of daily living.

3) A positive, fun and deepening experience with their American and British counterparts.

Each step is calculated when you enter the slums. Just getting of the train passed the throngs of slum dwellers, which include: residences, merchants, cow, sheep, dog, donkey, ducks, and…putrid combinations of feces  plastic, rotting food/animal is an experience of itself!  

Our classrooms are made out of thin metal sheets with ridges like potato chips (essentially a medal hut).  On a regular morning you see large numbers of people sleeping, hanging out, working, staring and following us as we make our way to the classrooms. One may also see naked infants roaming near their mothers. Its inspiring to know that it is under these conditions that these children aspire to become more educated.

The experience in the slum has been humbling at the very least, but has also awarded me a broader look at humanity. 

More to come!!!