Adolescents are confronted with a wide range of issues that can range from dealing with changes to their physical appearance to being accepted in friendship groups. This is further exacerbated by experiences of gender based violence. These experiences impact their behaviour and in the manner they interact with others. It has been well documented that by becoming more accepting of themselves, adolescents are better equipped to deal with the challenges that may cause damage to their self-confidence. It has been our experience that often the lack of self-confidence among adolescents is linked closely to issues of self and identity and a lack of awareness on the same.
During these sessions, adolescent girls and boys were encouraged to answer 5 questions about themselves:
A safe space was provided for the conversations to take place in. The discussions were deeply reflective and indicated some of the challenges young girls and boys are facing today. The deeply reflective responses mentioned how family and friends can be strength and a weakness at the same time. They counted skills, ability to control emotions, excellence in education and participation in sports as strengths and not being able to do any of these as weaknesses.
These sessions helped to build a self- appreciative attitude among the participants, while they came to believe that any weakness can be converted into strength if they believe in themselves.
At the end of the session while Sumitra from Haryana felt “It is important to talk about our strengths and it is equally important to talk about our weaknesses so that we can work on it, this activity has allowed me to look on both the things for the betterment”
Anandita from Odisha felt, “My strength is that I am girl, often people try to make it a weakness but for me it’s my strength”