Group 1 SALT visit

Group 1

The following people

Swaminathan

Alliammal

Jean-Louis

Eric Ngbala

Sam

Shanthi

Shindu

Anthony

Ratna

Susan K

Saroja

Kamala

Wany

Bheri

Hira

Charith

Pinsara

visited Kathiramangalam Panchayat in Nagapattinam.

Post Visit Reflections

Experience of SALT Team

• • We engaged in casual and friendly conversation with the community.

  • We discussed topics of relevance such as electricity and education

  • We expressed our appreciation of the positive vibrancy and bonding of the community.

Experience of community members

• • They had the new experience of meeting foreigners. In earlier instances, foreigners visited the vicinity to visit the nearby temple.

  • There was friendly bonding to share dreams, goals and resolutions

  • They were inspired to experiment with a solution to the power crisis from an idea shared by a SALT team member.

Strengths observed in the community

• • The community had an open mind. They were willing to experiment

  • The community had a commitment to study. They travelled long distance to school/college.

  • The community had a positive outlook on life in the face of real-time constraints (power, water, distances)

  • Community members were loyal to their village and their home.

  • Bonding with fellow villagers

  • Youth had aspirations

  • There was a broad mix of skills among villagers

  • Upbeat general awareness about current affairs/knowledge

  • Pride about villager accomplishments.

Lessons for SALT team to take home

• The Strength of Dreams

  • (a young teenager aspiring to be a Cardiologist and performing academically well to achieve the dream)

• Loyalty and bonding to home-village

  • (returning to the village for festivities during holidays from work to bond with family)

• Adaptability and innovativeness

  • Arreanged a clean sheet from truch for sitting down for discussions.

• Focus on education

  • (Equal importance on education by boys and girls)

• Pride in their village

• Open mindednes about new ideas