Posted: 11/09/2008
On Wednesday 10th September, His Excellency, The Honourable Anand Satyanand, PCNZM, QSO, the Governor-General of New Zealand, visited development projects administered by the Asha Community Health Society in the Ekta Vihar slum colony. The Governor-General was accompanied by his wife Susan, the New Zealand High Commissioner to India, Mr Rupert Holborow, the Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand, Mr N.T. Earnest and Dr Kiran Martin, founder of Asha.
The Governor-General is the personal representative of the New Zealand Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II. The day-to-day functions of the Head of State for New Zealand are performed by the Governor-General at the Queen's behest, and he is seen as a symbol of national unity. His Excellency is currently on an official tour of India.
The community of Ekta Vihar has had a twenty-year association with Asha, which works with the
slum residents in the areas of health, housing, empowerment, micro-finance and infrastructure improvements. His Excellency walked through the slum to the Asha Community Centre where he met with a local women's group and spent time with some of the children of Ekta Vihar.
The women told His Excellency about living conditions in the slum and the improvements they have been able to make following intervention from Asha's women's empowerment programme. This programme aims to equip women living in slums with the knowledge and confidence with which to approach city authorities. His Excellency commented that the women's achievements were "an inspiration."
The children's group spoke to the Governor-General about their actions against child labour and early marriage. His Excellency was then introduced to some of the students Asha has supported in gaining entrance to Delhi's top universities. This was followed by a demonstration of the computer literacy skills some of the students had learnt in classes run by Asha.
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The Governor-General told the children that he was "impressed by their enthusiasm for learning" before presenting the centre with books by a well-known New Zealand academic.
Through the visit, the Governor-General gained an insight into the life of the urban poor of Delhi and an understanding of the work Asha is doing to benefit these marginalised communities.
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Getting involved with Asha was a turning point in my life. I became part of the women's group where I realised that there were other women like me, and we can be listened to and our views consulted. The confidence I gained has given me strength to help so many people.
Noorjahan, CHV and midwife, Seelampur
