Different Strengths for One Dream_Group SALT

[SANJAY LOHARA]

Hello everyone, We, Rural Aid NGO work with support from Global Fund for Children is in Alipurduar District, Kalchini Block State of West Bengal, India. We work in the tea gardens on the issue of trafficking and child labour.  

On dated 29^th of April, 2022, we have organized the Community group SALT among the community of 22 Dhura, Raimantang Tea garden with the different participants of community such as adolescent children, youth and parent of children. 

During the process of group SALTS, we have experienced and identified in their many individual strengths and good qualities which indicated the one dream for good cause of their own community.

The strengths and good qualities we have observed were:

• Social minded with positive thought for community.
• Helping hands
• Loving and caring for the family and relatives.
• Kind hearted and supportive to people.
• Leadership quality by the youth.

Overall reflection:  As we were in the process of AER (After Experience Reflection), we have observed the best thing of group SALT meeting was the community did not know about each other though they meet every day and have conversation but through this meeting, they came to know each other strengths, good quality and also realized that they have to do much more for their own community and were also glad and appreciated to know about their good thoughts among themselves.  As usual before, the people of community used to have chats or talk in another regular topic which was not worth. Through this meeting, the community has learnt and has a desire to do something for their community. 

Through SALT, the community has built intimacy among each other. The community also wants to involve more male friends, relatives, families to share story of their life which they have tasted the How SALT work to know their strengths.  As a midst of SALT process, the community were has shared the issue of their community. Hence, we have also observed the youth of respective community, who were so enthusiastic to work for good cause of their own community; some of youth have already taken initiative as social work for the community such as linking a documents work for old people, providing medical assistance etc. in their community. In this SALT process, the respective community of youth have also took initiative to assist us for note down the strengths of community. 

The facilitators of respective teagarden will conduct the next process of SALT with community after the individual SALT.

Faciliators : Sanjay Lohara and Rati Lama

Blog written : Dheeraj Lepcha.