It can get real difficult to move on foot on a road laid of bricks that too in urban/rural India. This realisation came to me when I did walk this brick road in Ludhiana few days back. On the field with my team at UMA microfinance, we went to this lower middle class settlement somewhere Ludhiana. As was it difficult to reach the place the more difficult was to walk the smaller lanes to reach the venue of the meet. We were meeting over 35 women gathered to know from us how they could access our firm's loan pool.
Since I have started to work in these areas, I have become half corporate that's banker dress-blazers-ties. Yet I couldnt do without the well ironed shirt and trouser and the formal shoes. The experience was enough for me to realise "bhaiyya ye corporate look nahi chalega" (the corporate look won't work). It was tough to walk. While you are neatly dressed you face people who are just above incomes necessary to survive. That is when you wonder what life you have been living? In that lane I spotted at least 4-5 houses where when you peep inside the gate you see 4-5 rooms separated by thin brick walls. meaning that small hutment in itself houses several families. I have through my life and am sure for longer period of time have been concerned about a larger room/space for myself. Can I ever even walk into such a place? Scary as it may sound, it is an everyday reality.
What best I can do? part with skills to projects in the space, increase awareness on such issues?....etc etc. I am trying to do my part. And am sure this wasn't the last brick road I walked on.
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