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First Impression of the Sambhali Trust, May 2008
Casey Lord
When I walked into the Durag Niwas guest house the Sambhali girls were already waiting for me, standing in the doorway ready to greet me with the traditional red bindi paste and a beautiful garland of aromatic flowers. They escorted me upstairs and welcomed me by performing a traditional dance (in which I was encouraged to participate!). Then, one by one, they introduced themselves in English. I was very touched and felt speechless when it was my turn. It was clear from the girls’ faces and hospitality that they were enthralled by having a visitor; but not as shy as you might expect. In the fifteen months that they have been here, strong bonds have formed between them and they have grown into confident young women with a strong sense of solidarity. In the hours that followed I watched the girls as they chatted with one another, worked at their embroidery and sat down to eat their lunch. There is a strong contrast between the girls who are new to Sambhali Trust and those who have been here since the beginning. The effects of the trust are evident in each participant and I am very impressed with the results.
I am filled with a sense of awe at the challenge that lies ahead of me and I hope that the knowledge and understanding I have of these girls’ backgrounds and culture is sufficient for me to begin to work to help them. When they girls are together they seem larger than the sum of their parts and I can immediately appreciate how much work it must’ve taken to achieve such solidarity. I only hope that this self-assurance stays true to them when they leave the project, and that they can walk home and into the rest of their lives with the courage to stand up to the difficulties and pressures they are certain to face.
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