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Fellowship

Rooted and Rising: My Personal Growth Through the Fellowship Journey

Written by Sibani Singh, JSW Foundation Fellow

Photo 1: Up in the sky, I watched the clouds drift… and somewhere between takeoff and silence, I found pieces of myself.

There are journeys that change your path — and then there are journeys that change you.
My fellowship journey over the past year has been one such transformative voyage — not only across landscapes of rural Odisha but deep into the landscapes of my own spirit, capabilities, and calling.

When I first stepped into the field, I came equipped with degrees, data sheets, and dreams.
But I soon realized — change doesn’t come from plans alone. It grows through relationships, listening, and trust.

From the very first community meeting in Mahal village, I had to unlearn and relearn. The villagers didn’t need an “expert.” They needed a fellow traveler — someone who respected their lived wisdom and stood with them, not above them.

I found purpose not just in water governance, but in giving voice to silent stories, empowering women, and igniting curiosity in children.

Lessons Beyond Water

Water became my medium, but the lessons rippled far beyond:

  • Technical Growth: I mastered water budgeting, quality testing, participatory rural appraisals, and learned to decode sustainability through lenses like LCA and system thinking.
  • Emotional Resilience: I stood firm when faced with resistance, when data disappointed, or when communities lost hope. I learned to navigate conflict and balance empathy with action.
  • Leadership in Silence: True leadership is often quiet — it shows up in consistency, in preparing others to lead, and in celebrating small, collective wins.
  • Communication & Confidence: Whether training 200 SHG women or speaking in school workshops, I stepped out of my comfort zone and into my voice.

Personal Breakthroughs

This fellowship didn’t just give me field experience — it gave me myself.

  • I stopped fearing failure. I began seeing it as feedback.
  • I stopped waiting for approval. I found validation in the change I could feel.
  • I stopped doubting my worth. I saw how I could be a bridge between systems and souls.

It taught me that impact isn’t always visible — sometimes, it’s the ripple you leave in someone’s mind, a habit you help form, or a spark you plant for the future.

Photo 2: I collected shells, but found myself.
Each curve, a reminder — growth isn’t always loud, but it always leaves a shape.

A Poem: I Carried the River

I came with questions, charts and fear,
A stranger to their homes, yet near.
They smiled, they waited — eyes unsure,
“What will she bring? Will it endure?”

I sat on mud floors, heard tales untold,
Of tanker lines, of waters old.
Of dreams that dried with each lost well,
Yet hopes that rose where spirits fell.

I carried the river, not just in thought,
But in every small lesson they taught.
From buckets shared to children’s play,
They showed me strength in the simplest way.

I measured rain, I mapped the land,
But growth began when I held their hand.
Not as a savior — just as kin,
A learner from the world they’re in.

Now, when I leave, I’ll carry more:
A map of courage, heart’s folklore.
For I did not just teach or give —
I learned what it truly means… to live.

Photo 3: Mane sikhauthile paani bachaba — e samasya samastanka!
(They learned to save water — it’s everyone’s responsibility!)

To the villagers who trusted me,
To my mentors who guided me,
To every fellow and friend who challenged and inspired me —
Thank you.

This fellowship may have a timeline,
But the person I’ve become through it will live far beyond.

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