India is a populous country. While there have been advancements in education, technology and health care, many do not enjoy the rewards of this advancement. Forty percent of the population live in poverty. Many children are put to work and unable to obtain an education. Health care accessibility for the poor is limited. Human trafficking also is an issue. The Darjeeling area is a hub for human trafficking due to its proximity to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
The Mercer On Mission team will work with Life Centre Academy and P.U.S.H. (People Uniting to Stop Human Trafficking) during its time in India.
Life Centre Academy is a school set in one of the slum areas of Delhi. The children who attend the school are poor and have little chance of escaping poverty without an education. Life Centre Academy provides an opportunity for these children to receive high quality education along with love. In this slum area, there is no health care other than government-funded birth control.
Mercer students will provide well-child checks and health education for over 300 children at the school and first aid courses for the teachers. They will provide women-focused community clinics and health education for women. In addition, students will offer community screenings for diabetes, hypertension and chronic diseases. This work will be done alongside native health care workers.
