Change Is Possible… Sameer Has Proven It…!

[Shahrukh Atpade]

When the mind is prepared, change becomes possible. Sameer Patil, a young man from Nandwal village, has proven this through his actions.

For the past three years, the Avani Smile Team has been working in Nandwal village. Here, I work with the youth and men, helping them identify their strengths and encouraging them to take positive steps.

During these three years, a strong bond developed between Sameer and me. As time passed, the trust between us grew, and our connection turned into a close friendship. We consider each other like brothers and openly share our thoughts. All of this became possible because of the SALT conversations. SALT helped bring our thoughts and hearts together. While conducting the SALT activity, Sameer participated both individually and with the youth group.

During this time, Sameer would often talk with other boys about the challenges faced by the youth in the village. And whenever we met, most of our discussions revolved around these topics.

In Nandwal, many boys start doing color/painter’s work immediately after completing their 10th grade. Since they begin earning at a young age, some of them fall into different addictions. To prevent this, the youth revived their traditional sport — Lezim. They had decided to restart this activity during the Dream-Building session. Every evening, the boys played Lezim for an hour, and it received a great response. Playing Lezim helped them relieve their daily stress and fatigue.

Still, Sameer and a few boys felt that the youth should stay away from such risky work. But the big question was — when and how would this change begin? The boys received weekly payments from this job, gave a small amount at home, and spent the rest on fancy items or parties. Seeing older boys fall into addictions, the younger ones also started following them.

After thinking deeply about all this, Sameer decided to begin the change with himself. After Diwali, he seriously reflected on his family’s situation, responsibilities, and future. And then, with determination, he decided to leave that job.

Today, Sameer works at a different place as a supervisor, and out of personal interest, he is also taking computer training. This gives him good income and a sense of satisfaction. He believes that other boys should also leave that work and choose a path that benefits themselves and their families. There is no substitute for hard work — this is true. But it is equally important that this hard work goes in the right direction.

The step Sameer has taken will surely help him achieve his dreams in the future. This makes me very happy. And I am confident that his decision will inspire many other boys.

After meeting Sameer, I asked him, “How were you able to bring this change within yourself?”
He replied, “When you first spoke with me, I understood the strengths I had within me. After that conversation, I used to think deeply about it every day. Whenever we met, I talked a lot about this with you too. I put in a lot of effort to prepare my mind. And now, I have come out of that work.

Where I am working now, everyone calls me Saheb or Sir. The respect I receive from this job is something I cannot express in words. My mother is happy. And I want to keep this happiness on her face forever.”