Karuna Stories: Lakshmi From Giridih, Jharkhand.

My name is Lakshmi Sharma, and I live in district Giridih, Jharkhand. I am pursuing B.A. LLB and have been associated with FAT Tech Center, since 2016.

I joined the Tech Center as a very quiet, ordinary girl, who was underconfident, and unaware of the world around her. I thought of myself as a girl, a delicate girl, who was unaware of her rights and didn't know about the opportunities available for girls and what freedom for girls meant. I gradually started learning about computers, after joining the Tech Center. We also participated in different workshops, talking about various issues. These workshops were an eye-opener for me. My understanding increased. I was encouraged to ask questions as well as put forth my opinions.

It’s been five years and today I am not that Lakshmi who was quiet, afraid, and scared. Today, I am Lakshmi who is confident and makes her own decisions. Today I am confident to take a step and move forward to fulfil my dreams, regardless of the difficult path. Whether anyone believes in accompanying me or not, my faith in myself gives me the courage to move ahead.

The Lakshmi of 2016 was fearful and would hesitate to talk to anyone. However, now as a young leader at FAT I have the courage to communicate with anyone, young or old, with confidence, clarity, and respect. Today I have knowledge about my rights, and it’s my constant endeavor that these are not infringed upon. I have the courage to stand up for myself. Before joining FAT, I was happy with whatever I was handed, but now I make an effort for my own happiness. I am also more self-reliant. My biggest accomplishment in my life has been to pursue my degree in B.A.LLB., Even though there was no support or assistance from anywhere or anybody. I am studying what I wanted to study, despite my circumstances and challenges, going against everyone because they did not agree with my decision. This was a very big step for me in my life which I took without fear.

During the pandemic, as assistance from FAT, I got a phone and Phone Recharge Fund. FAT taught me new skills to enhance my leadership abilities and it is because of their help, I can assess myself and do things with confidence.

Without aid from the Phone Recharge Relief Fund, I would have had to lead my life as an ordinary girl. I would have been surrounded by problems without a phone and recharge facilities provided by FAT. My learning and thinking would have stagnated, and I would not have been able to keep up with the world’s pace. Without the phone, I would not have been able to attend my online classes and I would have had to discontinue my education.

In addition to the aid, FAT also gave us a lot of reliable information because of which I was able to help my family and community to stay away from rumours and superstitions and answer their questions regarding the Coronavirus. This assistance was very necessary at that time.

During Covid, I attended a lot of online workshops and Action Projects with FAT. These were short projects managed by FAT for programme participants like us to gain skills and experience. Working on Action Projects like Story Writing, Peer Support and Peer Learning enhanced my skills as well as helped me earn some income, which was a big support. I worked very hard to be a good trainer and teach my fellow participants in a way that was beneficial to them. This gave me an opportunity to practice and improve myself, face my challenges and try to achieve success in them.

I have done a lot of work as a volunteer, wherein I stayed in touch with my fellow participants and inquired about their health during the pandemic. I also worked on the FAT Scholarship Panel, where I learnt to complete my task on time, talk to people and work with them to improve relationships and make professional decisions. Both the Scholarship Panel and Action Projects helped me understand my responsibilities, fulfil them, and taught me to be a better person.

As told by Lakshmi Sharma, transcribed by Rupali Rani and translated by Remi. Currently, Lakshmi is participating in the #CoronaNahiKaruna Campaign.