Poverty

I was saddened and surprised to see an improverished family at the side of the road on the way to Cochin airport. Squatting together, three children and an old man, while another adult worked nearby, they were thin and dusty with matted hair, but the six or 7 year old girl was totally naked. When she saw my white European face looking through the window of our air-conditioned Toyota, she rather listlessly held out her palm, more from habit I think than hope, as she didn't move from her squat for another few moments.

Our driver said they were north Indians. It's the first sign of poverty I've seen in Kerala - people here might have little or nothing, no sewage, no electricy, few goods, but they are clean, healthy, nourished, the children in school uniforms and free schooling provided. The Luce book indicates that there is a lot of school truancy, but in Kerala I think the education and state support for education means that a high percentage of this population is literate, healthy and employed.