After an invigorating start to the day (walk, bath, breakfast, a dose of the news), I am ready to start work in earnest at 9 a.m. I meet briefly with my Deputy Directors for Finance/Administration and Medical/Technical matters and our Administrative Officer to discuss the day's programme and a few pending matters.

9.30 am Go through some e-mails. Among which I make note of a change of venue for a forthcoming Meeting of ILEP Representatives. There are several enquiries from my regional offices concerning the settlement of District Technical Support Teams. Some NGOs have submitted funding requests.

10. am The Medical Co-ordinator for the Northern Region briefs me by telephone about the need to take up TB work in Rajasthan State. A discussion with the Government authorities is proposed.

10.20 am My Deputy Director of Finance comes to consult me on how best to allocate grant installments from GLRA and ALES. We decide we need to postpone some training activities until support from other organisations to the Government Programme has been clarified.

10.40 am Back to e-mails requiring immediate action!  Respond to the ILEP Co-ordinator's latest proposals and issue a circular to the regional offices about the settlement of District Technical Support Teams.

Enjoy coffee - the stronger the better for me!

11 am Attend to a few telephone calls, including one from a volunteer who is hoping to find a work placement in one of the hospitals for three months.

11.45 am Receive Sr. Dr. Agnes Xavier from Nilakottai, which is one of our many leprosy projects in Tamil Nadu. We talk about the diversification of our programmes, the progress being made and the practical problems we are encountering. As she has not yet got Government approval for their Centre for Mentally Retarded Children I invite one of my Consultants in Diversification/Networking to join us. He is to help lobby on behalf of Sr. Dr. Agnes...

12.30 pm I read the draft minutes of the Regional Review Meeting and make some corrections and suggestions, before forwarding them for finalization and appropriate action.

1 pm After a reasonably busy morning's work it is time to get out in the sun and go for my lunch.

2 pm  I gather together details of the tsunami reconstruction work being carried out by the Claretian Missionaries in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, for the Project Department of the GLRA Head Office in Würzburg.

3.10 pm Together with one of my Consultants, I receive a team from the Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement: Dr.Gopal, Mr.Suresh Kaul and Mr.Uday Thackar. They brief me on a meeting they have had with the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission in Delhi and his wish to be advised of violations of human rights. I assure them of total support from GLRA and ALES in this respect.

4.30 pm After tea with my visitors, I check my in-box again for new e-mails. An informative report from Dr Thomas von Stamm brings me up to date with ALES' activities in Srilanka.

4.45 pm Checking and signing of a few papers relating to the settlement of a Provident Fund...Make call to our Medical Co-ordinator for the Western Region to find out what steps have been taken to evaluate the Gujarat programme.

5.30 pm My favourite time of the day! The work is over! The time has come to take stock. But there are still some cheques to sign...On the way home, stop by the bakers...

10 pm Before sleep beckons, I try to clear my head of the day... from issues to be addressed, the Italian businessman involved in the Bofors gun deal, the spiraling inflation rate in India, some reflections on Maslow's observation: "If the only tool you have is a hammer you will treat the whole world like a nail", to the more zany - the thought that someone could enter a quiz show and put the winnings towards leprosy work...

Mr T. J. Devadas, German Leprosy and TB Relief Association-India/Swiss Emmaus Leprosy Relief Work- India, E-mail: devadas@glra-ales-india.org  

Categories: Field Activities