Empowering Communities Through SALT: Insights from My Jessore Visit

[Md. Shadman Islam]

Personal Reflection of Jessore Visit

Date: February 13, 2025

It has been one month I joined Grow Your Reader Foundation as a Program Associate. In the second week of my joining, I visited Jessore for hands-on experience. I am sharing my first SALT Conversation and Dream building session experience below:

What Did I observe?

This was the very first experience for me to observe the SALT conversation. I have witnessed the transformation of perspective, belief and mindset as an outcome of the SALT conversation. In this conversation, 28 parents and 31 students participated in SALT conversation with one elbow partner. During the conversation, they shared one life event for which they are proud of themselves with each other, followed by appreciating each other’s strength based on the life event. After that they built their own dreams in a group, the parents built the dream on where they want to see their children and the students built the dream on where they want to see themselves in the future. They documented their dream by writing, drawing pictures or signs in a poster. After outlining their dreams, they presented everyone’s dream as a group. Followed by the presentation, there was a whole group discussion on outlining the action steps they need to take if they want to make their dream into reality. With an invitation to think more on the action steps, the space was closed.

Experience of Participating in a SALT Conversation

I took part in a SALT conversation with one. During the conversation, I have shared one of the events that I am proud of and listened to the other person’s one. Then we appreciated each other. While sharing my story, I had an amazing feeling of joy and self-esteem. When I was appreciated by the other person, I gained more confidence. I got really inspired by listening to the other person’s resistance and growth mindset reflected from his story.

What did I learn from the experience?

From the SALT conversation, I have learned that being aware of our strength helps to improve our self-efficacy which will lead us to see potential and capacity inside us to bring the change or solve the problem.

Experience of Facilitating a Group for Dream Building

Facilitating the discussion and dream building of 1 group of 14 parents was enriched with fulfillment and inspiration. I listened to their dreams and assisted them to outline by writing and drawing. Whenever I was asking probing questions, they were coming with newer thoughts and new dimensions of their dream. For example, a parent was sharing her dream of seeing her son as a pilot. When I asked her why she has such a dream, she replied that she wants to see her son as a responsible person and being a pilot will let him take responsibility for many passengers. Also, going into this profession will let him enhance their financial capacity and help others in need, which is another dream she has.

What did I learn from the experience? 

From the dream building session, I have learned that when we look for the ‘WHY’ of our dream, it makes our dream more solid. Also, we may find that any of our other dreams is connected to this dream and that makes us more invested to work for the dream.

HOW Does SALT approach empower communities?

People before doing SALT were in a state of external Locus of Control where they accused other external factors like lack of resources, systemic inequities, bureaucratic complexities etc. After doing the SALT conversation, they started to shift into the state of internal locus of control where they hold the belief that it’s us who have more scope to improve, contribute and bring the change, not waiting for external factors to solve the problem.

What went well:

The framing of the activities for both the SALT conversation and Dream Building was very effective. It was reflected in the enthusiasm of the participants, generated from feeling the importance of the activities and their impacts in their personal, family and social contexts. The connection of the activities with their real life scenarios were well-framed which made them feel the importance.

The participants felt appreciated when they were sharing their dreams with everyone as well as during the SALT conversation. The facilitator has created the space appreciative by modelling and inviting others to applaud their dreams. She gave equal importance to all dreams shared.

What could have been improved:

The SALT conversation could have been arranged in a closed space. Since the conversation was in an open space, participants were getting distracted easily with someone roaming around, walking by or making noise. The open space also caused the depth of their sharing thinking that it may be heard by someone else who was not intended to share with.

One or two live demonstration(s) would be helpful for the participants to understand ‘how to appreciate the strength’. When they were asked to share ‘what they have appreciated’, they shared the story of the other person. This misalignment caused another barrier for future authentic sharing since the story was being shared with the whole group. One parent was saying that there is no meaning of sharing vulnerable stories of her life if they are echoed in front of everyone. The demonstration would help to understand ‘what should be shared’ from the conversation.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Excellent blog. Always take permission before sharing stories. Extremely important.

When people ponder on why of their dream it helps in reflection and a deep urge to realize the dream.

[Shahrukh Atpade]

Your experience highlights the power of the SALT conversation, where recognizing one's strengths and understanding the "why" behind dreams empowers people.

Thank you for sharing this information with us...!