Comeback as a Trainer, Life Skill Coach, Training Manager

A Small recap of life after Barry-Wemiller International Resources which I still consider is the organization which helped me in understanding that my real forte lies in 'TRAINING, SKILL DEVELOPMENT & EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT'.

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Had taken a break from career, for almost 5 years now, yet tried to stay connected in the field of training by engaging in voluntary activities with UNICEF, Sukma and also organizing events like Tulika (A series of competition viz., rangoli, mural painting, arts&craft, Anand Mela, etc aimed at integrating the public to the concept of socialization who once were engulfed within their households due to naxal activities and social set-up) & Summer Camp at porta-cabin 'Murthonda' in Sukma.

Later Alex Paul Menon, my husband got transferred to Raipur in couple of months after the abduction episode, serving only 8 months in Sukma despite putting infrastructures in place for the new Collector Bungalow (we couldn't even stay for a day in our residence which was under construction then, now considered as the biggest Collector Residence in Chhattisgarh!) 

We moved to Raipur where I was facilitating 'International Business' for sophomores at Mats University and when Alex got transferred to Balrampur after around 19 months, I shifted base to Balrampur where I was handling 10th and 12th standard English classes in government colleges, tuition on English at home. I had this strong affiliation to keep myself occupied. I chose to work as Deputy Project Director, ATMA project (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) after my formal recruitment but in less than 2 months, got a call for Mission Manager, Skill Development & Livelihood, National Urban Livelihood Mission. A dream profile types.

The initial stage was much different from what I assumed. I was asked to focus on Self Help Groups and we had a target of 10 SHG, Balrampur being the headquarters of a newly formed District, Balrampur-Ramanujganj, not much development in place and hence a less population of Urban Poor.

We had two Community organizers (COs) and after I joined NULM, Balrampur, one of my community organizers resigned :( as he couldn't combat the slogging atmosphere I created). Imagine, the COs where working for over 4 years and the total SHG formation was 7 out of which only 2 they created and none of them working!! Well, that is what would happen when there's no strict reporting mechanism. 

I did a complete hand-holding to my other CO, Mrs.Birjinia who used to carry her 8 months old during field visit, while I leave my 2 year old (Elder one, Adhiyan) and 10 months old (Navilan) at home! We achieved reviving 5 SHGs in a month and mobilized 3 new SHG formations as well.

Funny Realizations during Field Visit for SHG formation:

Once we went and sat down along with a group of women in a ward. I sat on a bamboo carpet (a huge mat) that was laid on the floor and asked all the other women mobilized to come closer and sit so that we could start our discussion. All the ladies assembled except one sat down. I kept requesting the odd one who never agreed to sit. So after a 2 hour discussion and brain-storming on the importance of formation of SHG, I got up and walked towards this lady. I asked her, "Kyun dhidhi hum log itna dhaer se bulaa rahaen hae, humare saath baitnae ke liyae phir bhi aap nahin aayae!?"

She smilingly replied, "Kya boloon dhi dhi, aap jis chatayee mein baite thae suar poora uchaltha goomtha raha, mein musalmaan hoon, hum log jis cheez ko suar chootha hae, usko 7 baar dhothae haen, phir choothae haen!!"

For my readers who don't understand Hindi, 

I asked the lady, " Dear sister (that's what we address the women when we try to mobilize them)

Why don't you come and sit along with me on this mat?"

She replied, " oh sister! What do I say! In this mat where you were sitting pigs & piglets were playing and roaming all around. I am a Muslim and we don't touch those things which are contaminated by the touch of pigs until we wash those items for 7 times!!!"

Another set of people are those who fall under the OBC category who refused to eat food cooked by ST community! Where my corporate friends still feel casteism doesn't exist, I encourage you to visit any rural place in your location or even slum/ wards in your municipality/ corporation interact with them in the friendliest way and you will realize what we are talking about!

Another day, just before Navilan's first birthday, in one of our visits as we sat down explaining the SHG's 5 sutras, a slimy, creepy creature, a Skink (with an orange tail) just came running towards me, and I hate common house lizards and all those reptile varieties, literally had my heart in my mouth and jumped from the spot, and my SHG members were like, 'Madam, you speak so well, but you are so scared of this skink which not even our babies are scared of!' and burst into laughter and I diplomatically concluded that day's meeting saying, 'Well, I am glad I made you happy and laugh!' and left.

Back in car, every single wire or a small thread that touched my feet, felt like the slimy skimp! Curse my illusions!

I took a decision, not to sit on the floor and we found a huge tree with a seating platform built around it and I sat there with the rest, and guess what! Midway through our discussion, I was the victim after the spooky blacky crow pooped on my head! :( waaaannnnn...... I wiped it off my head with a fake elegance (Enna koduma sir, ithu!) and was forced to sit until my entire talk was over. Was cribbing all the way back to my office with my CO who let out giggles all the way!

But the best part is when you realize people are happy working with you, whenever they laugh and are seen working with a lot of passion and strike the same chord during decision making or new target fixations, keeps us motivated and the confidence that we can still move on!

With the support of district and state administration we recruited two more staff in place of the other CO and our target of 10 was achieved for the last financial year 2014-15!

We are currently focusing on the capacity building and training of urban poor in NULM, Balrampur.

Meanwhile, I had an opportunity to engage SECL employees Middle level Management team on a Stress Management Workshop on 28th Feb, 2015. Though I have my NLP certification, I am not a believer of NLP as I still question on its way of working scientifically. But the psychological part of NLP with regard to creating visionary, illusions I totally believe in it. I personally appreciate the concept of 'Law of Attraction' and most of my training methodologies reflect the same.

I realized that despite the big gap in career as a Trainer, I am still there when I put a class of 30 to a state from where they could literally see, feel, hear, touch and smell whatever I suggested them! And even after a month, during March ending, I received calls and messages from my training beneficiaries that despite closing of financial year, they are happily working with all smiles and someone says, for the past 4 years, he was unable to sleep, with my techniques it takes him less than 30 minutes to doze off and he is into his uninterrupted sleep regimen!

All this was possible only with the support of Alex, who always encouraged me to do whatever I want, giving me enough space and choice to take decisions. Being in service, even he has a busy schedule, leaving behind my two toddler boys with my baby-sitters, staying away for 3 days, always seemed like a nightmare. Now with a little coordination, phone calls to the baby-sitters, and the trust has helped me focus as a trainer. I believe what we sow, is what we reap. When I try to ignite minds, create a happy living for my participants, someone at home could be a baby-sitter/ a teacher in future would help my sons the same way! Alex always says ‘Trust again’. Now that’s the key word I use!

I look back to the days when I was a trainee and so passionate about learning, now as a Trainer when you get the love and support from your family and the feedback from your beneficiaries, you call it the time of your life, a proud and happy comeback!

My heartfelt thanks to my trainers – My father, my mother, my husband, English Teacher, Mrs. Asha Nagarajan, Mr. Shahir who actually inspired me on NLP, helped me with inputs on how to plan my session, and to those whom I don’t want to label with a relationship tag :P

(My son fell down from the bed this morning at 4 am (11th April 2015), and I had put him to sleep and eventually lost that of mine, I felt like writing after almost a year...)