Approaching the midpoint

As I’m approaching the midpoint of my journey, I’m starting to feel slightly homesick. I’ve been in Shillong for a month now, and while it’s gorgeous and filled with sites to see, I’m yearning for the comfort of my bed and a bowl from Sweet Greens. Since it’s monsoon season, raw vegetables are an absolute “no.” Right now, nothing seems more exciting than chomping on some crispy salad greens :)

This past week, I had the opportunity to attend a “Training of Trainers” (TOT) for Village Health Councils. I was really impressed by the community mobilization efforts on the part of the government. There’s considerable interest in advancing the health of those who live in rural regions of the state. The TOT session is meant for “Master Trainers.” These Master Trainers return to their villages with the information they’ve learned in Shillong and teach the Village Headmen and VOs on how to run the Village Health Councils. They’re provided with books that are filled with information on health issues in an accessible manner, i.e many graphics and simple language. They’re also given registers that are meant for record keeping of VHC meetings. Lastly, there’s an app orientation on receiving financial assistance from the government and keeping track of meetings. Throughout the session, interactive activities are interspersed to ensure that the information provided is well understood. The session I attended was meant for those who are from Southwest Khasi Wells. These individuals left their houses at 5 am to attend this training in Shillong. I was amazed by their commitment. They will return to their villages with a wealth of knowledge on community leadership related to health matters.

Trainees from Southwest Khasi Hills attending the TOT session

Orientation/active tutorial of the app (presented by the app developer)

I also had the opportunity to talk about my experiences at Harvard and my work as a Cultural Bridge Fellow at a Rotary Club meeting in Shillong. I really enjoyed sharing the work I’ve been doing and engaging with community members about the ongoing challenges that exist in the health sector in Meghalaya. At that moment, it really felt like a cultural bridge was being formed.

The past few days have been exhausting but filled with exciting moments. Looking forward to finishing off the internship strong.

Signing off from Guwahati! (took a small trip)

-Priya