印度志工服務心得(上)

啟 程Start

大約在三年前，我透過世界展望會的資助兒童計劃認養了一位印度女兒，她剛好就居住在我們這次志工計劃的服務城市---加爾各答。從認養她的那時起，「探訪她的生長環境」、「了解當地需要」、「幫助當地兒童」就一直是我的心願，我的「志工計畫」因她而漸漸萌芽。About three years ago, I adopted an Indian girl through World Vision. That girl is living in Calcutta, where we volunteer in. After adopting that girl, I’m always hoping to “visit where she lives in”, to “understand what people there need”, and to “help children who live there. ” Because of her, my “volunteering plan” starts to bloom.

直到今年暑假前幾個月，我開始瀏覽青輔會網站與台大政大校內服務性社團的看板，找到了印度的非營利組織CRAWL SOCIETY--他們招募國際志工投入服務的行列，內容包含幫助貧民窟孩童的非正式教育中心計畫、街頭遊童救濟計畫、婦女覺醒計畫等--十分符合我的期待，於是我就向CRAWL提出申請，並找到了其他四位校內同學組隊。I started to surf the website of National Youth Commission, Executive Yuan, and service organization(student club) of NCCU and NTU a few months before this summer vacation, and found out CRAWL SOCIETY. This organization looks for international volunteers to join its project, such as “Non-formal Educational Centre project” “Women Awareness project ”or “Self Help Group project”. Due to the satisfaction with those projects, I applied to be an international volunteer of CRAWL SOCIETY, and teamed up with another four schoolmates.

我們一行人懷抱著無比的熱誠，從企畫書、到向企業拉贊助、在台大及政大公開舉辦募款及募集物資等，親身力行完成了許多前置作業後，終於，我們飛往印度加爾各達，準備進行三週的志工服務，正式上路。After we passionately completed many preparations, include the writing of proposal, the finding of sponsors, and the holding of fundraising campaigns in NTU and NCCU, finally, we flied to Calcutta to start our three-week-volunteering job.

抵 達Arrival

到達加爾各達後，一下飛機，就是一連串的衝擊。AS soon as we arrived in Calcutta, a series of shocks flooded to us

滿街無家可歸的遊民令人怵目驚心; 黃砂飛揚的空氣與垃圾堆發出的惡臭迎面撲鼻; 震耳欲聾的喇叭聲像環繞音響般連續轟炸;坐上黃色計程車後更有如終極殺陣的劇情，一路險象環生飆到旅館;路上還充滿各式各樣的動物：鼠、牛、馬、羊、雞、狗、猴…。Streets were stuffed by homeless people, the air was full of dust and the stinking smell of garbage, the horns of cars were as loud as surround stereo system, and the taxi driver was racing on the streets, which are full of animals--- mice, cows, horses, sheep, chickens, dogs, monkeys……..

我簡直像掉入一千零一夜的世界，眼花撩亂，興奮與不安交織。I felt like falling into the world of Arabian Nights, which is so amazing and exciting.

進入旅館後，發現台大志工社的15位團員已經在那裡一個多星期，他們也是在CRAWL進行志工服務。After getting into the hotel, I found out fifteen members of University of Taiwan volunteer's society group, who had already been there for 1 week as volunteers of CRAWL.

我被告誡了房間裡有一堆蟑螂，所以晚上睡覺不要關燈，不然全部的蟑螂都會跑出來。果不其然，一進房間就有3隻蟑螂跟我打招呼，當然後來還有更多跑出來跟我吟詩作對，非常地詩情畫意。I was told that there’s a large amount of cockroaches in the room, and that don’t turn off the light when sleeping or all the cockroaches would come out. I found out it’s true after entering the room and running into 3 cockroaches, and of course, I saw more of them later.

旅館裡沒有熱水、沒有冷氣、沒有洗衣機也沒有脫水機，彷彿回到原始生活。但這些都不算什麼，因為浴室蓮蓬頭那塞滿綠綠黑黑的洞才是經典。住在旅館裡的三個禮拜我沒有一天關燈睡覺，而頭頂上的大電扇吹得我頭痛欲裂，但一關掉又是無比難受的悶熱。Without hot water, air-conditioner, laundering machine, and drier, my life in the hotel was like the life in the ancient world, however, those stuff are nothing when comparing with the green and black hole of shower nozzles. In the three weeks of staying in that hotel, I never turned off light when sleeping. What’s more, the electric fan, which is set on the ceiling, always made me have serious headache, but I would feel breathlessly hot and windless if I turned it off.

不過大概是因為年輕適應力強，心理也早有準備，所以對於貧乏簡陋的生活環境後來慢慢習慣也就可以隨遇而安。It might be because I’m young enough to adapt to the new environment, or I’m well-prepared psychologically, I was getting used to this poor environment gradually.

質 疑Suspicion

相對於環境的衝擊，後來在CRAWL發生的事件帶給我的震撼才是完全超乎想像，而我學到的事情也是始料未及的。Comparing with the shocks of the new environment, the shocks of the very event happened in CRAWL was completely out of my imagination, and what I learned from that was also unexpected.

剛到CRAWL的前幾天，我跟台大志工社的領隊聊天發現他們有跟CRAWL發生爭執。因為他們去年只繳了4000多盧比，但同樣是二個禮拜，今年CRAWL卻要求他們繳11000盧比。A couple of days ago, while speaking with University of Taiwan volunteer's society group leader, I discovered that they also had a dispute with CRAWL. Just a year ago, a group of volunteers only paid 4000 rupees per person to volunteer for two weeks, but this year CRAWL actually requested 11000 rupees per person.

聽了他們的狀況後我們就覺得事有奚翹，為什麼我們要缴17500盧比(約台幣12000)這麼多錢的註冊費給CRAWL，問了旅館櫃台的人後，發現食宿費三個禮拜才4000盧比，越想越覺得13500的捐款未免也太多了，決定要趁繳費當天問清楚。In our case, we were asked to pay 17500 rupees (approximately T$12000)! After asking the hotel, we discovered that the food and lodging expenses for three weeks cost only 4000 rupees. Isn’t 13500 for donations a bit unreasonable? So we decided to raise the matter during the meeting.

當我們開始問CRAWL是怎麼分配志工的這些註冊費時，秘書一直不願意告訴我們確切的捐款數字是多少，只說我們繳錢後收據裡就會寫了；且當我們拿出在台灣募集到的物資要給他們的時候，秘書一臉諷刺的表情跟我們說：「喔~那還真是“謝謝”你們啊!你們這種“unkind donation”我們也會開收據給你們。但是你們還是要繳錢。」聽到這種不客氣的話還真是完全超出我們的預料之外!But the secretary was not willing to tell us the exact donation amount, saying that this amount would be reflected in the receipt later. And when we gave them the donations in kind that were collected in Taiwan, the secretary told us sarcastically face satire's expression said to us: “oh ~ thanks for that too! You’d also get a receipt for this “unkind donation! But you must still pay the fees!” Hearing these impolite words really surprised us!

我覺得我們是來做義工，不是來捐款的。而且要捐多少錢是志工的自由意願，怎麼可以用報名費的名義一付順理成章地強迫捐款?I thought that since we were volunteers, the amount of donation should be up to us to decide. It is just unethical to preset this amount and lump it together with the registration fees.

當我們沒搞清楚狀況下拒絕繳費的時候，秘書就一副你們怎麼可以不繳錢的態度。我們說了食宿費三個禮拜才4000盧比的事實後，秘書卻說我們的食宿費不止4000是10000。原因是當地人跟外國人的住宿費不一樣，外國人會比較貴，所以她們每一年要額外付給旅館一筆年費讓我們拿到當地人的折扣。說完我們就馬上打電話回旅館問有沒有這筆錢，此時秘書開始神色緊張。果然，櫃檯說根本沒有這筆錢。When we have not made clear under the condition resists to pay expenses, secretary on you how may not give the money the manner. We told her we found out that food and lodging expenses for three weeks should only come up to 4000 rupees, but she told us that the actual cost was 10000 rupees. According to the secretary, foreigners would have to pay a higher amount than local people to stay at the hotel, so CRAWL actually had to pay an annual flat amount so that volunteers working for CRAWL would only have to pay local rates. But when we called the hotel (by which time secretary started to look anxious), her claims proved to be false.

後來我們自己繳了食宿費，完全就是一樣的價錢，沒有比較貴。Afterwards we paid our food and lodging expenses ourselves, which is in the same price.

總之，後來氣氛鬧得很不好CRAWL可能也怕更多真相leak out，所以當場就叫我們離開組織!Possibly fearing that more truths would leak out, CRAWL expelled us from the organization right away!

應 變Contingency Plan

由於我們完全沒有心理準備，被逐出CRAWL的當下真是驚慌失措，沮喪到了極點。Because we were completely unprepared for what happened in CRAWL, our spirits were rather crushed after that.

當天晚上我睡不著覺，惴惴不安，一個人在床上翻來覆去渡過漫漫長夜。That night I felt so anxious I could not sleep.

這真是一個無與倫比的經驗，因為只有當一個人受到重大挫折或考驗時，才有辦法了解個人能耐跟應變能力。 This experience tested and setback a person receives the significant setback or the test, only then some means understand individual ability with the strain capacity.

當時還有一位念普林斯頓大學的汶萊男孩，國豪跟我們站在同一陣線。他也認為CRAWL的確鬼鬼祟祟。所以在我們離開CRAWL幾天後他也毅然離開了。There was another volunteer from Brunei who stood on our side throughout the entire ordeal. He also thought that CRAWL was acting stealthily. A few days after we were expelled, he too left the organization.

隔天起床後，我跟國豪決定馬上找替代方案，我們上網去research當地的NGO。 We lost no time scouring the internet for another local NGO.

果然，我們找到了二個在加爾各達的NGO。We did find two NGOs in Calcutta.

第一個是印度人創辦的NGO，叫SMILE ; 另一個是澳洲人創辦的叫Calcutta Stations Mission (CSM)。但我們後來很快就發現那個SMILE果然也是個騙局，因為它也是要住在規定的旅館，並繳一筆所謂的「住宿費」，而且它比CRAWL還貴!There was another NGO started by local people, called SMILE which we later discovered to be a fraud as well. Fortunately, we found Calcutta Stations Mission, which was started by an Australian.

澳洲人的CSM一毛錢也不收，從它網站清楚寫出每個project需要的經費，也寫明捐款自由，看得出來這是個很legitimate的組織，於是我跟國豪便一起跳槽到了這個澳洲的組織。而其他四位團員後來決定隔幾天就離開加爾各答。Unlike the other organizations, CSM does not charge volunteers a registration fee. Donations are 100% voluntary. Their website gave us a good vibe. Feeling that it was a legitimate organization, Kok Hou and I decided to volunteer for them.

差 別Difference

跟其他四位團員道別後，我跟國豪就開始到澳洲NGO做志工。而去CSM開始做志工沒多久，我跟國豪就覺得我們的旅程要亮起來了。因為他們真的比CRAWL好太多了! 在CSM我們看到一個很用心經營的NGO。After saying good-bye to another four members,Kok Hou and I became the volunteers of Calcutta Stations Mission. Soon after we were in CSM, Kok Hou and I felt that our travel became more and more bright for CSM was much better than CRAWL! We could see that staffs of CSM operated this organization with their whole hearts.

在此先簡介CRAWL Societ和Calcutta Stations Mission (CSM)兩個組織的計畫異同：
CSM made our trip to Calcutta worthwhile. It was different from CRAWL in many respects:

 CRAWL Society：

1、卡達鄉村非正式教育中心： 這個計劃主要服務的對象是貧民區中的兒童。服務內容為每個星期三天教兒童英文和數學，兩天讓他們動手做一些勞作或是帶他們進行一些遊戲。1.Khardah village education center: This project targets slum children. English and Mathematics are taught thrice a week, while practical skills training are taught twice a week. Sometimes, they play games.

2、火車站遊童救濟計畫： 這個計畫目前在Sealdah 及Dum Dum火車站進行，因為火車站是加爾各答主要的遊民聚集地。服務內容為遊民的傷口包紮及提供街頭遊童食物。2.Basic wound care: This plan is carried out in the Sealdah and Dum Dum Train Stations, where the majority of Calcutta’s homeless reside. Besides providing wound care to the people, food is also distributed to the children.

 Calcutta Stations Mission：

1、Food Programme ： 一年365天在Sealdah火車站進行。選擇有mental problem的遊民給予食物。Food is distributed to mentally handicapped homeless people at the Sealdah Train Station 365 days of the year.

2、Village Mobile Medical Clinic：在塔壩村落提供村民醫療服務與衛生教育。To provide basic medical service and health education to villagers in Dharpa Durgapu village.

3、Slum Mobile Medical Clinic： 在Topsia的貧民窟提供當地居民醫療服務。To provide wound care and medical service to residents living in Topsia, an urban slum.

CRAWL跟CSM的主要異同在於，CRAWL有火車站遊民的醫療服務及食物救濟，以及所謂的「兒童教育計畫」;而CSM的服務對象除了火車站遊民的食物救濟，主要還是針對鄉村及貧民窟的村民提供醫療。兩者的服務計畫看起來差不多，但執行內容其實差異很大。 The main difference between CRAWL and CSM is that CRAWL has the projects of medical treatment and food relief to the homeless in train station, and the so-called “Non-formal Educational Centre project” to children, while CSN put emphasis on providing medical treatment to people in villages and slums. Even though the projects of these two organizations look similar to each other, the content of their projects are totally different.

CSM在車站是365天都發食物，而且發的是一個飯盒(CRAWL的是30cc牛奶跟二片麵包)。另外，他們的人員都有專業醫療背景。不僅藥品要先擺好在檯面上才開始處理傷口，包紮跟消毒的過程也很嚴謹。相形之下，CRAWL很像是讓一群大學生在玩包傷口遊戲，不僅沒有行前訓練(還好是台灣人自力自強，由高醫的教了台大後，台大再教我們包)，藥品也只是放在一個醫藥箱裡，就開始包傷口。In train station, CSN provided lunch boxes to people everyday, while CRAWL offered only milk of 30cc and two pieces of bread. Besides, staffs of CSM all have professional medical background. When dealing with wounds, they would put everything they need on the table first, and they dressed and disinfected wounds carefully. However, the way staffs of Crawl did was like let university students play the game of dressing wounds. They not only had no pre-training for volunteers but also started to deal with wounds when medicine was still in the medical box.

CSM是由一個在Mother House服務過的澳洲人創辦的，但他主要是待在澳洲做funding的工作。負責加爾各答的主管是一位俄羅斯女生。而我覺得她根本是俄羅斯“女神”。為什麼說她真的是很偉大? 因為她每天就是疲於奔命，不停地把病人調到診所，又要去醫院跟醫生吵架 ---因為當地的公立醫院很差勁，醫生開完手術都不包紮傷口---而且她原本是從加州的大學畢業，應該可以領高薪的美金，結果她自願來印度做NGO，領微薄的盧比薪水。她的勇氣跟精神很令人欽佩。CSM is founded by an Australian, who worked in mother house. However, his major job is to raise fund in Australia. The one who is in charge with everything in Calcutta is a Russian woman, who is like a Russian “Goddess” for me. Why she is so great? Because her job everyday is to refer the sick to the clinic, and to fight against doctors of public hospital, who don’t dress the wound after surgical operations. What’s more, she voluntarily gives up the high salary job she could have and come to India to work in NGO with low salary. Her courage and spirit are all respectable.