GPM and Sundara celebrate International Hand Washing Day

Although it may have seemed like an ordinary day, October 15th was Global Hand Washing Day. The children in the GPM Joshua Greenberger Learning Center in the Kalwa slums celebrated by participating in a Sundara run hand-washing workshops, plays and received fun lessons on proper hand hygiene. 

GPM children with their Sundara Soap

Demonstration on proper hand washing

It is common practice in many parts of the developed world to wash one's hands multiple times a day, and it is taken for granted how much hand washing plays a role in keeping us healthy. Many people in developing countries are not only unaware of the importance of hand washing, but do not have access to soap. According to UNICEF "Over 300,000 children under five died from diarrhoeal diseases linked to limited access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in 2015." This number is unacceptable and can be prevented simply by washing hands before eating and after going to the bathroom. 

GPM proudly partners with Sundara, a fantastic organization that provides recycled soap to thousands of children in urban slums and under-served rural villages.  Sundara's main focus is to raise awareness around hand hygiene through an innovative approach, bringing excitement to young children and getting the entire community involved. 

Through plays, special trained hygiene ambassadors, interactive activities, and posters children learn the importance of hand-washing. Sundara provides all of the materials, while GPM makes sure that the children are ready to learn. The GPM children and staff had a wonderful time celebrating with Sundara, and look forward to continuing our partnership. 

Sundara's 'Hygiene Ambassadors' explaining good hand-washing techniques

Watching an informative and fun film about hygiene habits

Thanks for the soap Sundara

A fun play where germs are the bad guys and soap is the hero!

It's exam time at GPM!

Can you remember that feeling of an upcoming exam in school? Sharpened pencils, folders filled with worksheets, and butterflies in your stomach.

GPM understands that children's self esteem can be assulted during exam time. We put in a lot of effort to make sure our students feel confident and positive before and after their exams. It is important that they feel encouraged to keep learning and trying even if a subject does not come easy to them.

After receiving the exams, the teachers are better able to understand where their emphasis should be focused. Everything is done in a positive and encouraging way, and the children know that if they work hard they will succeed. And whatever their results are, the students know that their teachers are there to support them, motivate them to do better and celebrate their victories.

Middle school aged children taking  exams

Student consults teacher with question 

Teacher Hayley giving exams to the preschoolers

First Ever Medical Student Internship at GPM

Standing inside the Sharvan Health Clinic

For the first time ever, GPM welcomes three fourth year medical students from the United Kingdom. Lucy Lewis, Sally Maryosh and Elkie Ben Hur have arrived in India and their work has already begun. During their four weeks in India they will be working at the GPM Sharvan Health Center  in the Kalwa slums, in the villages with the GPM mobile clinic and with  Doctors for You, in Mankhurd - central Mumbai. 

Sally and Lucy are completing their medical studies at the University of East Anglia while Elkie is attending the medical school at Liverpool University.

Sally says she is excited to learn more about how the health care system works in developing countries, “It is amazing work that the doctors and volunteers do here and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to truly understand India’s culture and health system and the diversity of life here.” 

Students learn about health

The medical interns learn about the differences between urban slum health and rural village health and the challenges that Indian doctors face on a daily basis.  They will be working to establish protocols for various infections and sicknesses that will greatly benefit the Sharvan Health Center and Doctors for You. They also get the privilege of working alongside Dr. Pravin Rathod during their time in the villages.  

Lucy Lewis explains how she knew she wanted to have an enriching medical experience for her internship, “ I was really hoping to go to India; I wanted to do something different, and I did not want to spend my month in a hospital. I wanted to throw myself in at the deep end and have a once in a lifetime opportunity to utilize my medical skills in a helpful and productive way. I am also particularly interested in community medicine, especially the care of women and children.”

The three interns have just completed teaching several classes of children in kalwa about good health and hygiene.  

"We feel very fortunate that Lucy, Elkie, and Sally chose GPM as their elective internship, says Samantha Klazkin, GPM Associate Director, "and we hope that this experience stays with them throughout their medical careers."

Performing health-checkups for pre-school children at GPM pre-school

New GPM Village Kitchen Feeds over 500 Children

As part of the GPM Love2Learn Program in under-served tribal rural villages in India, a new central kitchen was opened in the village of Ashte, Palghar. The kitchen serves 20 surrounding villages (over 500 children) with healthy meals on a daily basis. During the months of January to June, the villages suffer with a severe drought, making food very scarce. Consequently, many of the village residents are malnourished. The children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, so it is vital that the village has a stable supply of food for the young students.

Children eating the meals that the women prepared for them

Women preparing the food for the young students

The central kitchen in the village was modeled after the GPM central kitchen in the Kalwa slums in Mumbai.The Ashte kitchen provides employment to women who live in the village by hiring them to cook the meals for the children. This kitchen is a place where women can come to talk, laugh, and prepare meals all while receiving a stable salary for the first time. It brings a sense of pride and empowerment to these special women who know that their hard work will keep the village children in school.

The nutrition program supplied by the women in the Ashte kitchen and distributed to 20 village GPM classes is an important way to maintain overall health, increase attendance and cut down of child labor.

A big thanks to our partners Sundara and Humble Smile who support an overall hygiene program for the children in the GPM Love2Learn system; quality nutrition and good hygiene go hand-in-hand to foster good health for 500 children.