Meet Sanchang Mro, the first woman doctor from Mro community
Her father was a farmer. Financial constraints were a part of her family’s livelihood. He couldn't afford to buy paper. There weren't enough means to spend on buying chalk either. Sanchang was least bothered by this though
She learned to write her first letters by tracing with her fingers on moist sand. That journey of learning began holding her father's hand. Young Sanchang was an eager learner. At times, even a leaf would become her piece of paper. One day she stumbled upon a slate and chalk. When she ran out of chalk, she would gladly carry on drawing up the alphabets on the sand again.
Her father was a farmer. Financial constraints were a part of her family's livelihood. He couldn't afford to buy paper. There weren't enough means to spend on buying chalk either. Sanchang was least bothered by this though. Since she was a child, she was a curious soul and had a knack for learning new things. In pursuit of this, she managed to grasp the Bangla alphabets while playing with mud with her father.
"Do you know something? It's hard to understand many things from a distance. If you could visit or stay in our environment to learn about us, you would see what people go through while growing up. It's easy to say many things, but the circumstances we rise from can only be understood through direct observation"
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
They say a person who is determined, or even stubborn to an extent, cannot be hindered by any means. The desired struggle for victory is entirely their own. No matter how difficult the battle may be, victory there stands as just a word. Sanchang Mro is among such warriors. She grew up in a small village in Bandarban's Payapara. She has a beautiful family with parents and five siblings.
Sanchang has grown up to become a doctor, She has recently graduated. While her becoming a doctor may seem like a minor achievement, this accomplishment has given Sanchang a brand new identity. Simply calling her a doctor feels inadequate; rather, it is fitting to refer to her as the first female doctor of the Mro community!
Sanchang was the first in her family and her community to achieve this honour. However, this journey has not been easy. The story of this remarkable achievement began with long years of hard struggles. And Sanchang has penned her own ending! So, it wouldn't be wrong to call her stubborn.
The path that led to today's Dr Sanchang was supported throughout by her father, Kaingpre Mro. This jhum farmer struggled to provide for his five children. Where merely ensuring three meals a day was a significant challenge, considering the education of all five children was almost like a luxury too hard to afford. Nevertheless, he had a special inclination towards education. He also wanted to study and had a great passion for knowledge. So, whenever he found someone knowledgeable, he would sit down to learn from them and he would also teach his children whatever he had learned.
"I will say just one thing: never give up. Many obstacles will come in life, many problems will arise — regardless of those, one must try with whatever strength they have. There's no need to think about whether someone will help or not"
In this way, Sanchang received her early education from her father. However, it was uncertain whether she would ever get to attend school. Days passed with this uncertainty. One fateful day, Sanchang's mother suddenly fell ill. The entire family had to go through a terrifying experience at that time. Due to a lack of knowledge regarding medical treatment or medications, her father Kaingpre faced considerable difficulties. On that day, Sanchang's father realised the necessity of educating his children. He resolved then that, for the sake of overcoming the lack of knowledge regarding illnesses and their treatment, he needed to ensure his children's education. Kaingpre was, after all, a man of firm words. He would not waver in his decisions; he did what he said.
So he vowed, come what may, he would ensure his children's education. He took on the burden of all his children's studies with whatever income he had. He enrolled all five of them in school. The nearby Champat Para Primary School was where Sanchang got admitted. But here too, trouble arose. Teachers were resigning. Since the number of students was low, no teacher wanted to conduct classes properly. The total number of students in the entire school was only 3 or 4. As a result, many teachers quit and moved elsewhere. Gradually, the school became non-functional.
Sanchang studied at this school until the second grade. When it became impossible to continue there, her father enrolled her in the Alikadam Government High School. Sanchang joined the third grade and continued her studies there until the eighth grade.
With her father Kaingpre's efforts, her three older siblings completed their higher secondary education. However, when Kaingpre could no longer bear the expenses, the children had to be satisfied with just this much. Nonetheless, the number of people from the Mro community who passed higher secondary was very few. Sanchang's older siblings were among those who completed higher secondary, giving her father a huge reason to be proud. However, while others were content with this, Sanchang's thoughts were somewhat different. Having come this far, she was not one to give up. She was in no way inclined to back down before stepping onto the path of her dreams. So here goes the story of this indomitable young woman and her ensuing journey!
People in the Mro community often lagged behind other ethnic groups when it came to education. Some individuals lack even basic literacy. Moreover, there is a gender disparity among those educated. However, it would be foolish to expect these people, who survive primarily through jhum farming, to prioritise education. Such is the reality. Not many people among them are educated, but it would be wrong to say that they lack interest in learning. Financial constraints pose a significant barrier. Sanchang faced these challenges herself. Thus, the story of this dream-driven young woman is not just different; it is entirely unique.
"As I grew up, I realised my father was providing us with education so that we could learn about various diseases and understand medical science. But my father didn't know that to study medicine, one needed to study science. He only thought that if we studied, we could become doctors. He was also unaware of the costs associated with education. Moreover, although everyone at that school in Alikadam was very sincere, there were no good teachers for science. Altogether, I found myself in a bit of a dilemma," Sanchang said.
In the midst of all this, she changed schools and enrolled at St Joseph High School and College in Savar. During these challenging times, one of her teachers stood by her side. Later on, a few science teachers offered her private tutoring for a nominal fee.
However, when issues arose regarding school fees, the college principal, Sister Namita, provided Sanchang with an opportunity to study for free. With the principal's support, she continued her higher secondary education. The financial difficulties were so intense that Sanchang wasn't even familiar with the concept of pocket money. Sometimes, she faced crises even for money to afford food.
This is how she completed her higher secondary education. But she was unsure about what to do next. On one hand, there was the financial instability in her family, and on the other, her cherished dreams. She knew that the amount of money needed to move ahead was not something her father could manage. Contemplating all of this, Sanchang felt a sense of despair.
"At that time, I asked my father what I should do. He told me to come back home and look for a job. It was then I realised my father couldn't continue. However, the thought of having to drop out of my studies midway never crossed my mind."
But Sanchang was not one to give up easily. During her higher secondary years, she tutored students. She had saved some money from that. Although she managed to arrange for living expenses with that money, she faced difficulties paying for her coaching classes. At that moment, her older sister Suisang stepped forward and handed over her own savings she had for medical emergencies to Sanchang. After that, she worked tirelessly day and night on her studies.
Throughout her educational journey, she received support from her entire family. Her older siblings did their best within their means. "My older sister stopped her studies after higher secondary just to support my expenses. She worked to cover my costs, which is how I've come this far," Sanchang shared.
However, for some reason, misfortune would not leave her side. In the midst of all this, she contracted chikungunya, which put her studies on a halt. Nevertheless, she stubbornly decided to take the medical entrance exam. Three days before the exam, another crisis struck: her father developed an eye condition.
Describing that difficult time, she said, "I went through a phase that is hard to express. I felt utterly helpless. I was completely broken mentally." In the midst of this crisis, Sanchang came to Dhaka alone to take the exam. She managed all her mental anguish in her own way.
It was 9 October 2017. The results of the medical entrance exam were published. Sanchang learned that her dream was about to come true. She had been given the opportunity to study at Rangamati Medical College. Overjoyed, her first call was to her father. Upon hearing the news, he was genuinely thrilled.
"My father said to me at that time, 'You don't need to do anything; just study. I will take care of the rest,'" Sanchang said.
For admission to medical college, she needed Tk30,000. Her father, Kaingpre, sold some land to arrange that money. Sanchang then got admitted. However, another thought weighed heavily on her mind: how would she buy the expensive medical books? She spent about a week without books. Then one day, a senior student named Tonmay gave away his books to Sanchang. Next came the task of purchasing a skeleton. In the meantime, another senior gave away to her the one he had purchased.
In Sanchang's words, this all felt like a miracle!
She said, "If someone truly desires something from the heart, somehow God will provide it. I feel that God has been with me every moment. Otherwise, considering where I came from, it would have never been possible to come this far. I've reached this point in life with the help of people at every step."
Sanchang was not only proficient in studies; she was also skilled in agriculture, having learned those things from her father, Kaingpre. "My father taught us everything necessary to navigate life," she said.
After completing her studies, Sanchang is currently working as an intern doctor at Rangamati Medical College. She dreams of establishing herself as an honest and skilled doctor in future, serving her community. She wishes to provide free medical care to the truly impoverished. At the same time, she also sends a message to the next generation of her community.
Sanchang says, "I will say just one thing: never give up. Many obstacles will come in life, many problems will arise — regardless of those, one must try with whatever strength they have. There's no need to think about whether someone will help or not."
Sanchang wants to work towards advancing women's education in her community. She aims to make them more interested and committed to education. She also expresses a desire to eliminate the gender disparity that exists among the Mro community. Although the task is difficult, Sanchang is determined to traverse that challenging path.
"Do you know something? It's hard to understand many things from a distance. If you could visit or stay in our environment to learn about us, you would see what people go through while growing up. It's easy to say many things, but the circumstances we rise from can only be understood through direct observation," said Sanchang Mro.
