Revisiting our first all girls circle at Choti si khushi: Adolescent facilitators in action :-)

“I shared what I learnt in the workshop about menstruation, child sexual abuse, I think something had happened to her, but after listening to what I said, she was relaxed and she thanked me! I also shared the information in my class and also about 1098. Didi can you believe this, one of the girl used it also and she received help”

We had our first all-girls circle at Choti si khushi in the month of April-May, this year. It was interesting to see how they progressed during our month long intervention which started with giggles, smiles and silence to flurry of questions and taking the hold of situation in their own hands. And now we were back to our all girls circle J

Before we could get out of the Auto, we saw our participants waving and smiling at us, with all the questions and complained as to why we have come after a long time, what are we doing nowadays, do we miss them? and many  more. Finally we were in the circle, where we shared what all is happening at Sahas and where are we currently working? We then opened the circle for the participants to share what has happened in their life over these two months!

It was interesting to see the openness with which the participants were sharing about themselves and the trust they have for this space. The participants were then invited to divide into their designated gender groups and play the game of “Snakes and Ladders” where we had placed messages at the mouth of snakes and beginning of the ladders; all these messages were related to the gender, sexuality and reproductive health curriculum through which we engaged with them.

“So gay is a person/boy who is interested in having relationship- love, sex and emotional with another boy” shared one of the gender leaders

Another one talked about sexual organs and sex; interestingly not just the gender leaders but everyone remembered the information that was shared during the workshop.

“So, we would be leaving these ludoos here, you can use them to conduct a session whenever you wish to”

“I am taking one of these, I will conduct a session in my neighborhood”, almost immediately one of the gender leader replied. I was glad and taken aback by the enthusiasm; it was great to see peer to peer learning happening so smoothly and these little facilitators amazed me with their skills!

Then the participants also shared about changing dynamics in the park where most of the work of Choti si khushi happens! ‘There is a police inspector coming on daily basis to keep a check on the people taking drugs and arresting them’ said one

“We went to say thank you to him and also appreciated him” said another.

I don’t understand and use terms like change, impact and others but these girls have changed so much, they seem more confident, more vocal and their understanding of their own self has increased so much. And yes the love and trust they shower on us and among themselves is no less than a blessing J