Raj Dagwar, a 23-year-old from Pune has recently become famous for a thoughtful initiative. He pays people Rs 10 to listen to their lives' stories and struggles.
The engineer, who battled depression in 2019, reached out to a therapist because he was hesitant to open up to his family. After seeking counselling, Dagwar got better and decided to do something for others suffering like him.
Realising the importance of having someone to share the struggle with during the ongoing Covid crisis, on December 6, 2020, he decided to offer people an ear. And to encourage strangers to open up to him, Dagwar offered Rs 10 as an incentive.
Now, he stands at Fergusson Road every day between 6pm and 11 pm with a board that reads "Tell me your story and I will give you Rs 10."Dagar hears about 50 stories a day and sometimes, spends more than an hour listening to one person.
Speaking to News18, Dagar said he remembers the names of all the people who have spoken to him and also their stories. "I am a good listener and some of them really enjoyed my company when they were feeling low."
"Everyone has problems, and be it big or small, it's not easy to speak about them."
Sharing his story of having battled depression, Dagar said that in 2019, he felt that he was not living up to his expectations. He could not open up to his family and finally had to seek professional help to overcome depression.
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