This past week reminded me why I love being part of this movement. Among the many students I work with, one stands out. When I first met him, he barely spoke. He constantly second-guessed his abilities. I wanted him to believe in himself as much as I believed in him. He answered only when asked and was always unsure if he was right. But I noticed he was always listening, quietly absorbing everything.

Instead of pushing him to speak more, I focused on building trust. I shared my own stories, asked about his interests, and made sure he knew I was there for him. Slowly, he started opening up. Our classes became something we both looked forward to. We were not just covering the syllabus, we were enjoying the process.

Outside academics, he was a completely different person. He loved music. He wrote and sang songs effortlessly, and even beatboxed. In that space, there was no hesitation—only joy and self-expression. Encouraging him to share this side of himself helped him realise his potential beyond textbooks. But academically, self-doubt still lingered. “What if I’m wrong?” was a recurring fear. I made it a habit to remind him that mistakes are part of learning—that being wrong doesn’t mean failure.
Over time, he started trusting himself more, began asking questions, and even started helping others. Slowly, he is learning to bring the same confidence he has in music into his academics. And the best part is that he looks up to me as a mentor. That means the world to me.