Together We Grow with Our Dreams: Men’s Aspirations and Community Strength in Bhatpara.

[Nityam Ghosh]

Hello team,

A few days ago, during the second part of the SALT Conversation on “Masculinity” held in the Bhatpara Tea Garden Nichhe Line area, some very deep and inspiring reflections emerged.

To begin, we asked participants a simple question linked to their daily lives:

If I visit your home and you are not there, and I ask your family about one of your good qualities, what would they say?

In response, the men present said — 

We are hardworking, honest, responsible, caring towards our families, and disciplined.

After that, we continued the collective learning process through the SALT principles —

Stimulate, Appreciate, Listen, and Transfer.

From their “Proud Stories,” a few key qualities stood out:

1) Readiness to help others and solve problems.

2) A sense of caring and kindness towards family.

3) Willingness to help any sick member of the community.

When asked,

“According to you, what should be the dreams of men and boys in your community?”,

participants shared:

a) There should be a club where men can meet, share their ideas, and encourage the youth.

b) Every man should fulfill his responsibilities with honesty.

c) Boys should understand and respect their parents.

d) Men should guide their children in the right direction and work to eliminate bad habits like addiction from the community.

e) Every person — whether a man or a youth — should be worthy of appreciation.

As a SALT Facilitator, the key learnings from this conversation were:

1) It is always essential for the community to come together to help others.

2) New challenges will keep emerging with time, and we must face them collectively.

After Experience Reflection (AER)

What went well and why:

The men shared that in our community, our thoughts are valued and we are always given space to express ourselves freely. It feels good that no one dismisses or critiques our ideas harshly. We are always appreciated for reflecting deeply about our community — which motivates us even more.

What could have been done better:

More community members could have joined the discussion.

Having more time would have also been helpful.