Rotary Club of Chandigarh - ENGAGED in the community

I saw this banner on the wall of the Fortis hospital.  It easily describes the Rotary Club of Chandigarh and its members!

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Another wonderful breakfast of fresh local fruits such as ber, pomegranate, grapes, etc., and complemented with an egg medley, local coriander & mint chutney, etc. 

I've included breakfast foods in a few posts as Indian foods can be quite different than American foods, AND our Friendship Exchange Hostess is such a fine cook!

Ber, akin to a small pear

Chutney

Cauliflower pancake and Egg salsa (much like Mexican salsa with scrambled eggs)

Also, our wonderful host and hostess provided an awesome lunch today, consisting of fresh vegetables, red beans and rice, and other great items.  I'm inserting it here to highlight and showcase that the friendship exchange is the entire experience, not just the projects, nor Rotary, but the immersion in another culture and enjoying/experiencing it to the fullest.  (For example, as you see below, the carrots here are RED, not orange...)

Red Carrots, cucumber, onion, radish - all from the family garden!

Red beans and rice, the Indian equivalent of collards, yogurt, chicken kabob, cottage cheese and macaroni, tandoori roti (bread)

 

We begin the morning at Rotary House. The Chandigarh club manages a Vocational Training Center here. Among other courses, they teach young men and women in embroidery, computer skills, and beauty. Completion of these courses allows young people to start a business and become self proficient/sustaining. 

Team debriefing before touring the Vocational Training Center.

Young ladies learning embroidery and sewing to be able to sustain their family.

Young men and women being trained in computer skills to lead a productive life in their community.

From the Rotary House, we head over to visit several other major projects of the Rotary Club within the city.

The club has been working with Fortis hospital since 2006, and in the period, has conducted over 500 lifesaving heart surgeries here at the hospital, most of which are pediatric cases. 

This slogan on the wall pretty much sums up the efforts of Rotary teamed with the Fortus Hospital.

A portion of the ICU houses adult cardio patents and a portion houses pediatric cases.

The modern environment rivals any American hospital.

Children come from India, Iraq, Afghanistan, and even Pakistan.

A portion of our team which toured the ICU, along with the two chief physicians.

This child has been here for over 40 days just to get him stable enough for cardiac procedures.

This little child is on a ventilator, and the doctor & nursing staff are keeping a very close eye on him.

After surgery, the children are usually in the ICU for 4-5 days.  I was fortunate to give stickers to this young guy.

Group picture with the young guy.  He was bashful at first...

The Rotary Club of Chandigarh also sponsors the local Blood Drive agency, akin to our American Red Cross Blood Drives.

Our Homestay Host, Madhu, of the Rotary Club of Chandigarh, assembles us for briefing at the Blood Center.  Note the Rotary plaque in the background.

A prime example of how we have been welcomed by the Indian Rotarians everywhere we visit.

Bottom of Standing Sign in prior picture.  Note "ROTARY"!

Rotary is alive and prospering in India, and such a wonderful peoples to get to know on a one to one basis!