Chani Mardi’s house is in Shivsatakshi Municipality Ward No. 2 Chatrabari Gaon. But since she started serving patients these days, she barely gets a chance to come home these days. There are 8 members in her family, Mardi is the youngest daughter. Chani Mardi’s mother is Solma Mardi and father is Suniram Mardi. Around his house there are houses of 20 other Santhal families.
Chani Mardi’s father was a heavy alcohol user and abusive towards her mother. It was very difficult for the mother to feed her children and raise them as her father had no income – says Chani Mardi. We could not save my father, my father died due to alcohol addiction when I was five years old,” says Chani in a soft voice. After that, it was very difficult for Chani’s mother to access her children’s education and livelihood.
The cultivation of 15 kattas of land which was left as her father’s inheritance, was not enough to feed 8 families for the whole year. Chani Mardi started working at Dumbar Bahadur Shrestha’s house after she could not afford her studies with a condition of working in exchange of sending her to school. Chani Mardi excelled in her studies from an early age with good grades. Her elder sisters and brother had to get married early.
Chani Mardi was not comfortable working and studying in someone else’s house, so she left Damwar Bahadur Shrestha’s house and came to her own house while she was studying in class 10. Then she started preparing for the SLC exam. In the year 2070, she passed SLC in the second category. After passing SLC, she was a little more stressed about her further studies. Because there was no alternative way to earn extra income. At the same time, LCWS entered Jhapa.
Chani Mardi’s mother Solma Mardi also became a member of the group formed by the LCWS in 2015. The name of his group is Majhkundar Dulad Waha Savings Group. After the SLC examination, Chani Mardi was staying at home. She was the only one in that Santhal community who passed SLC in 2070 batch. Rekha Kumari Kisku, the social manager of the organization helped her to join the support process of the LCWS. She helped her in attaching the group’s recommendations and petitions to be included in this cooperation process.
After a month, she gave entrance exam and successfully passed the exam at Madan Bhandari Memorial Institute in Nepal was admitted in her name with the help of LCWS (SABALII project). Basic living such as food, lodging and necessary study materials were also supported by the organization. Mardi managed the remaining amount from with the help of her mother. Chani Mardi says that after completing the 18-month course, she immediately started looking for a job. She had filled the vacancy form for a job at Birta City Hospital, but for two months the result was not announced. But she did not have to experience any disappointment because she had her skills in her hand. No one could stop her aspirations.
Finally, Chani applied for a job at Anjali Hospital in Birtamod. Her job there was confirmed from 2074 Falgun. She says that her salary comes at the rate of 12000 per month, out of which she will save about 5000 per month. She says that her savings have increased as her roommates stay together in the same hospital because of which the room rent and food expenses are reduced. A lot has changed in his family today. Her mother says that since her daughter started earning, it became easier to manage household expenses. Chhani Mardi says that in the past her family use to struggle eat for a day, nowadays arrangements have been made to eat for the whole year.
Chani Mardy says – I would like to thank the LCWS. With the help of the LCWS, I have been helped to reach the purpose of life. Her goal in life is to help the helpless, handicapped and disabled and to do public awareness activities for the Santhal community on the subject of personal health and hygiene.