“ Sacrifice is also a part of dream_SALT”

[Pancham minj]

A strong determination story from a 21 years old female youth who works hard and sacrifices her dream for the education of her brother

Hi everyone, I’m Pancham Minj. I work with a Rural Aid NGO with support from Global Fund for Children in Alipurduar District, Kalchini Block, State of West Bengal, India. We work in the tea gardens on the issue of trafficking and child labour. Here is my first blog from my SALT visit.

This is a story of a 21 years old female youth who live with her family (father, mother and her two brothers) at Athiabari Teagarden of Kalchini Block, Alipurduar District of West Bengal. As family background her family, they were all depending on the work of teagarden where her father along works as permanent teagarden worker.

It was the story of during the year 2020 the emerge of covid pandemic, when her family’s financial condition was unstable and moving towards into worst situation where her father was only the person in family who have a job. In such circumstances, she decided to quit her studies at grade of 10 standards and started to work as temporary (Bigha) worker in teagarden for to support and fulfil the needs her family and study for her brothers. Though she wanted to continue her studies but due to unstable financial situation she sacrifices her studies for her family. Hence, she didn’t unable to continue her studies but instead she had built a strong determination herself that though she didn’t able to study and fulfil her dream of higher studies. She wants her brothers to continue and fulfil her dream of studies, no matter whatever she had faced the challenges, and she will work hard every day and provide support to her brother’s studies and tuitions.

The reflection of strengths from the conversation with her was:

i) Selfless effort

ii) Sacrifice and dedication

iii) Love for her family

iv) Strong determination

v) Supportive and caring

vi) Social thoughts and behaviour for the community.

From the story in SALT conversation with her, her story motivated and inspired me that however whether you fulfil your dream or not it does not matters, but the “Sacrifice is also a part of dream” in the time or situation, where you have to dedicate yourself (dream) for the family when it in needs. Through this SALT conversation with her, it build warmth and trust environment among us.