Final Impression, September 2009
Ms. Melanie Schuster


“Make the girls trust you, so that coming volunteers will have it easier to interact with he girls!”
One simple sentence; but it really determined my whole work with Sambhali Trust. Once Govind had given me this task, the sentence stood on my mind and I was eager to achieve exactly this trust.
But how do you make these girls trust you? All of them have some really serious problems to struggle with in their lives. Many of the girls aren’t treated well by the people around them. I could know that from the interviews, which some other volunteers had had with the new Sambhali batch and which I was supposed to edit. Before I could get to know them personally, I read these interviews to get an idea of the life and dreams.

My heart was touched immediately: Touched by what they have to bear in their lives, but also by the dreams they have. So I got to that question: How do I make them trust me, though they made so many bad experiences in their lives? But at the same time I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. I could know their self-confidence from what they said about their future, their dreams and aims. All of them had such an optimistic attitude, that even I got optimistic about my task. And I wasn’t wrong with that. Even on the very first day, I could feel they would become very close friends to me, as they treated me as one right from the beginning; even though I didn’t know their language. But a smile has no accent! Remembering that, I simply knew I was going to spend three wonderful weeks with them.
That’s what I actually did - just had a lot of fun with them!

I could feel their self-confidence, which is well-founded, as all of them are really intelligent, talented and ambitious. All the time I felt they really deserve a better life than that, I read about in the interviews.
But knowing that Sambhali ensures this better life, I felt really proud to work in this project.
All of the girls were so eager to learn English that I had to give them some classes, though I was told not to push them too hard with it during their first days here. But I could feel it was really fun for them, as they told me the English word for the color of every object in the room, whenever the opportunity arose. I could see their power and will to change their lives, to improve themselves and to reach their common goal: Seeing their families happy and proud of them. And as I know them quite well after these three weeks together; I’m happy to say that I’m absolutely sure they are going to reach this goal!

I think during my time here, I found some really good friends in them. We were eating, dancing and learning together. They told me a lot about their lives, their sorrows and hopes. I felt like a part of their group! And that’s what I was asked to do: making them trust me. So whom do you trust more than a close friend?

I gained a lot from my work with Sambhali: It was an experience that makes me see the world with different eyes and that gave me a deep insight into the Indian society.

But what is most important for me, is that I realized that it doesn’t matter where you come from or which way you will go, people can and should trust each other easily! Because this is what makes friendship, love and respect - the three ingredients for happiness.

I think this first step is done and I’m sure Sambhali Trust is going to lead the girls the further path.

I am happy I could take part in this project and hope to come back soon, as I will miss the girls, my friends, immensely!