All through my learning years, it has been impressed on me that change is a constant. This has taught me to foresee and initiate change. Change can be frightening, intimidating, overwhelming when we are unprepared. Preparedness helps deal with the uncertainty. Understanding change has been critical for both my personal growth and that of Freedom Firm.
Let me start from the victim’s point of view. Change has never been to her advantage. It was always sudden, she was never prepared for what was to come and it was always used against her. Change in her physical space, change in the people she knew, and change in the language she was familiar with. Change from her point of view has never brought anything good and so she holds on to the known.
Change from Freedom Firm’s point of view however is didactically different. We see change in the location of the victim as the first step to her freedom. We see change in people who are responsible for her a step to empowerment. We want her to experience change that would be good for her. Change that we initiate with her best interest at heart. Given this contradiction, it is important for us to understand her struggle in accepting the change we propose.
We are not very different from the girls we serve when we are faced with change that is not in our control. We are also intimidated, overwhelmed and frightened. All of us have seen change in our personal and professional lives. We have each responded differently – we have either buried our heads in the sand not acknowledging it, rejected the change and moved away, accepted it and become bitter in the process or embraced it with open arms. To different changes we have responded differently. Change that is a result of foresight, preparedness always results in growth.
One of my mentors said, “Even the dynamics of the ground we stand on keeps changing since our planet keeps moving, how do you ever think you can escape change? Since you cannot, embrace it.”
Change is important for an organization. Without change organizations become redundant and die without accomplishing its mission. Strategies, people, methodologies, tools have to change to keep up with the change in the external environment. Leadership too should change not only to accommodate new thoughts and ideas, new strategies, new tools but also to prevent burnout. We, at Freedom Firm too, are at the cusp of change. Change that has been carefully worked on. Change that is essential for the continuation of the mission. Change that will further bring change in the lives of the girls we serve.
Our change bears the name Ashwin Rathod. It is my pleasure to introduce him to you. Ashwin has been a part of Freedom Firm for the last 15 years and has quietly gone about bringing change in program starting with the legal work in Pune to the program across Freedom Firm. He never takes his eyes off the mission. A man of faith, the last 2 years, true to his nature, quietly stepped in and took on responsibilities even though he at times was unsure of his ability. He did well.
I have this magnet on my fridge with my favourite quote ‘What if I fall? but darling, what if you fly?’ I chose to jump trusting in the wings that hold me. I do look back with gratitude at all the support and encouragement I have received from my colleagues, trustees, donors, friends and family. My journey here has been for more than a decade and that would have been heavy on my shoulder if I had tried to do it all on my own. So many of you have carried the load with me. So many of you have stood behind me assuring you would hold me if I fall. With the best interest of both Freedom Firm and myself at heart, I move on to different grounds. I will be stepping into a learning environment after a break of more than two decades. I look forward to the change and growth both in my life and that of Freedom Firm. I am certain my journey with Freedom Firm and the issue of sex trafficking is not over. While the kind of participation will change, the heart for both will surely not change.
If you like us are on the cusp of change, remember exercising faith and foresight will ensure you meet whatever is in store for you with confidence and strength. I do believe that you will be a part of Freedom Firm through this change and after witnessing the great outcome will rejoice with me in the days to come of all that Freedom Firm accomplishes in the lives of victims and survivors as a result of this change.
Au revoir and God bless you.
Catherine Raja National Director, Freedom Firm
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