A support hand is very important during a fall.

[Jayashri Kamble]

I facilitated SALT conversation in a village where. children and men were present. In the beginning, everyone was looking at each other, wondering what to say, but eventually everyone started talking...

One of the girls, Sanika, shared with us an event from her life.Everyone learned a lot from that incident. The girl (Sanika) was going to the academy to prepare for police recruitment. At that time she met a girl (Tina- name changed) she was also coming for police recruitment practice and they became very good friends. At first, Tina was not freely talking to Sanika, but Sanika soon build trust. O Tina had any problem Sanika would help her. Tina started sharing her emotions with Sanika and she told her problem. Tina said, "Both I and my sister are trying for police recruitment/, my mother is very sick my father is not living with us and our family condition is very poor. My sister is older than me, but she doesn't guide me in my studies or support me. When other relatives ask Tina's sister why, she behaves like this? Tina's sister replies that "I should be a police officer alone and be a household name in society among relatives. My sister should not become a policeman, I want to make my name alone among our relatives. I don't want my sister to go ahead of me."

This hurt Tina a lot. If Tina had not told this pain to Sanika, it would have been in her mind forever, and she would have been suffering mentally. At that time Sanika gave Tina a lot of support , Sanika assured Tina that she will always be with Tina as an understanding friend.
Sanika further shared that it was Tina's last chance to join the police. If she didn't pass, she could not apply again due to the age bar. Tina said that if she does not join the police in this last chance, she will commit suicide. Sanika and everyone in her group supported Tina a lot, always encouraged her, never left her alone, and always impressed upon her that she will become a police officer. Tina had no practice shoes, and no healthy diet which meant she didn't have the necessary facilities for police recruitment, but she got constant encouragement from Sanika and her group,

Tina cleared the police recruitment exam and became a police officer. When Tina got that news she was selected for police services, she first called up Sanika and gave her that good news because Sanika was her support system.
Sanika is very proud of the fact that she has made a good friend in her life. Sanika also said that "if I had not given her psychological support at that time, she might have committed suicide because of the situation." Sanika did not pass the police exam, but her friend did, so Sanika was very happy. Sanika got to learn how important it was to support someone in life in times of difficulty.

After Sanika shared with us in the meeting, people gathered around her and appreciated Sanika a lot. Sanika shared this story with us for the first time.

A lesson in facilitation: SALT helps bring out such stories of positive change and can encourage others.

Blog support - कौशल्या

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks Jayshree and Koushalya for this powerful story