Friend for life saves lives

Last year, Aarti Nagpal lost a dear friend to a rash decision made in an impulsive moment. Pained by her friend’s suicide, she decided not to let the same thing happen to anyone else. It was then that the M.Sc student of psychology launched an initiative called Sahara — Helping Hand. “Youngsters face a lot of problems concerning studies, break-ups and adjustment with family members. I want to be there for them when they feel they have no one to confide in. I lost my friend because she didn’t share her problems. If she had someone to talk to, she wouldn’t have taken such an extreme step,“ says Aarti, who has been receiving queries from people in the 18-30 year age group since January. So, what’s the USP of Sahara “Anonymity and my ability to connect with the young, because of my age,” says Aarti. So, how does one subscribe to Sahara “People can either email Sahara at sahara.helpinghand@gmail.com or send a message to its Facebook page titled Sahara —Helping Hand. “I never disclose identities of these people and if I think the case is serious, I ask them to seek professional help,” adds Aarti.