A Story of Strength: SALT Conversation between Secretary Madam and Urmila Chhetri

[Dheeraj Lepcha]

A Story of Strength: Urmila Chhetri’s Journey through Loss, Hope, and New Beginnings

Warm Greetings to Everyone,

I am delighted to share a brief reflection from a recent SALT conversation held between our Secretary Madam and one of the dedicated staff members of Rural Aid. This meaningful interaction offered valuable insights into our collective strengths, motivations, and the spirit of learning that guides our work. As I had the opportunity to document this exchange, I hope this introduction sets the tone for the thoughtful discussion that follows.

Today, I (Secretary Madam) had a meaningful SALT conversation with one of the members of Rural Aid, Ms. Urmila Chhetri. I asked her a simple question: “What is the proudest moment of your life?”

Her answer unfolded into a powerful story of struggle, courage, and resilience. Urmila shared that a few years ago, her family faced a devastating incident. A short circuit caused a massive fire in their house, and within minutes, everything they owned was destroyed. She described it as one of the most painful experiences of her life—to stand helplessly and watch her home burn down.

Despite calling the local police and the fire department, no help reached them on time. With nowhere to live and nothing left, her family moved into her uncle’s house, where nearly 18 members were already staying under one roof.

During this difficult time, her brothers, who were working in Bengaluru, sent their savings to help rebuild the house. Slowly, with determination and family support, they managed to construct a new home and regain stability.

While dealing with the loss, Urmila also wanted to support her family financially. Her dream was to become a teacher, so she submitted her CV to Rural Aid. Fortunately, her application was accepted, and she received the job she wanted. She said that despite all the hardships, she never gave up—she kept moving forward step by step.

After getting the job at Rural Aid, her father felt extremely proud of her. Seeing the happiness on his face became one of the happiest moments of her life. Today, she feels truly proud to work at Rural Aid and loves the work she does.

She also shared something very personal—she had never told this story to anyone before, simply because no one had ever asked. But during our SALT conversation, she finally opened up. Sharing her experience made her feel light, relaxed, and emotionally free.

What We Can Learn from Urmila’s Story

• Courage helps us rise from the hardest situations. Even after losing everything to the fire, she rebuilt her life with strength.
• Resilience leads to growth. Despite challenges, Urmila created a new beginning and now takes pride in her work and journey.
• Hardship can become motivation. The tragedy pushed her to find stability and pursue her dream job.

 

[Kaushalya Sumedh Agre]

It is very painful to see your house burnt down and everything you have worked for till date destroyed. Urmila's courage to recover from such a big crisis and support her family financially is admirable.

[Shahrukh Atpade]

This story shows that courage is a great strength in a person.