Change Begins When We Believe We Can” — A Journey of Learning between Two Tea Garden Communities

[Sanjeev Biswa]

“Change Begins When We Believe We Can” — A Journey of Learning between Two Tea Garden Communities

Following the SALT and CLCP process, the community of Raimatang T.G. Church Line collectively identified their common dreams by consolidating the aspirations shared by different groups, including adolescents. Among the selected common dreams, “To have a healthy environment” emerged as a key priority. To work towards achieving this dream, parents, youths, and adolescents took initiative to access sanitation facilities in their village. They collectively approached the Gram Panchayat Office and submitted an application for the installation of personal toilets under the government sanitation scheme. During this process, facilitators shared an example of collective action taken by the community of Jathu Line, Dalsingpara,  highlighting how community members came together and successfully took 

effective action to improve sanitation. Inspired by this experience, ten community members from Raimatang T.G. Church Line expressed their interest in learning directly from the Jathu Line initiative and subsequently organized a community exposure visit which has been elaborated below.

On 19/09/2025, a group of 10 community members from Raimatang Tea Garden, Church Line visited Jathu Line, Dalsingpara to witness and learn from a community-led initiative. The main objective of the visit was to encourage and inspire the Raimatang community by observing the positive changes achieved in Dalsingpara through their own collective efforts.

Activities during the Visit

Upon arrival, the team was warmly welcomed by a young girl from the host community. She enthusiastically introduced herself and invited others to do the same. Before the session began, she gathered additional community members, creating a friendly environment for open interaction and learning.

She then shared the background of her village, describing the earlier hardships and how the community gradually improved their living conditions through unity and persistence.

Later, Chandini, a resident of Jathu Line, narrated their inspiring journey of transformation. She explained that their village, located near the Toorsa River and far from the main road, once faced severe challenges:

• The area was poor and unsafe due to frequent wild animal appearances fro
• m the dense forest.
• Parents were hesitant to send their children to school.
• There were no toilets, and villagers were unaware of how to access such facilities.
• Water scarcity forced villagers to drink unsafe river water.

With encouragement from Rural Aid and the guidance of Ujana Sister, the villagers united to address these issues. Their first major achievement came when they applied to the BDO office for toilet installations. After verification, 40 toilets were successfully constructed, and 10 solar lights were also established, marking a significant milestone for the village. Following this success, the community came together once again to tackle the issue of water scarcity and successfully appealed for the installation of hand pumps to ensure safe drinking water.

Chandini also shared her personal story: she became the first girl in the village to complete 12th grade and is now pursuing graduation. She has played a crucial role in motivating parents and supporting the enrolment of 51 children in school. Inspired by her dedication, one local youth has started tuition classes while continuing his own studies in Class 12. At the end of the session, Chandini encouraged everyone by saying that real change begins when communities take initiative, unite, and support one another to solve their problems collectively.

AER (After-Event Reflection)

Listening to these stories gave the Raimatang participants deep insights into the power of community leadership and collaboration. They realized that challenges can be overcome when people take ownership and work together for the common good.

Some reflections shared by the Raimatang community included:

• “We often hesitate to take initiatives, but today we learned that unity can make change possible.”
• “Despite facing so many difficulties, they never gave up—this inspired us to work together for our village.”
• “Chandini sister’s efforts in education are remarkable. It encouraged us to prioritize education in our community as well.”

Conclusion

The community-led initiative of Dalsingpara Jathu Line served as a powerful example of what determination and collective effort can achieve. The visit not only inspired the Raimatang participants but also strengthened their belief that lasting change is possible through unity, persistence, and self-motivation. The participants returned home with a positive outlook and expressed their intention to share the valuable lessons they had learned from the Jathu Line community with others in their own village.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Hi Sanjeev, is enrollment of children related to SALT?