The Story of Sanjika Chakma
Sanjika is in Class 11 currently studying Arts at Aryan Junior College. She has one older brother, two younger brothers and two older sisters (one passed away, another is married and received only four years of schooling.)
Sanjika has a very loving and supportive family. Her mother is in charge of the household and her father does not drink nor smoke. As cultivators with no education, Sanjika’s parents wish their children are educated so they can return to the village and help others. Her parents borrowed money (micro loan) from relatives and friends to send Sanjika to school, and they intent to pay back the amount at harvest time.
Sanjika comes from Nunsury II, a village located nearby a river. Commuting to school is not easy; it takes hours–first by bus and then one hour by boat. As a young girl, there was no Class 5 in her village. Sanjika had to walk two hours each way to attend school. During rainy season, part of the road was flooded and she had to walk with water up to her chest for 10 minutes, holding the backpack above her head. She arrived at the school soaking wet but it didn’t stop her from attending school.
Last June, Sanjika’s home area was severely flooded after a huge storm hit. At the time, she was at Mahabodhi Residential School (MBRS) with other scholarship students, discussing and planning for Class 11 in Silchar. As she was ready to travel back home to prepare for the school year, she found out all transportation services were shut down due to heavy rain and flood.
“I was wet Mom. I didn’t know the road home, the night was coming soon and I wanted to cry but I know crying does not help. So, I prayed instead. I keep thinking “how do I solve this problem?”. I see a man with a big umbrella. He is also Chakma. He lives in the nearby village next to Nunsunry II,” she recalled how anxious she felt being stuck on the road.
After hours of searching, Sanjika and the man found a boat to Nunsunry II, but they were asked to pay 100 rupees for the ride. Sanjika had to plead the helmsman to take her home first and pay him later.
When Sanjika reached home, she found half of her house was under water. Her family had migrated to the hillside to stay temporarily with their relatives. Sanjika was struck with another bad news when her mother told her to give up on her dream of education as they would need the money to rebuild their house. She cried desperately, but she understood that this was best for the family. The following week, things took a turn when one of her relatives visited Sanjika’s parents. They agreed to lend her family a loan if they could pay it back in three months. Without any hesitation, her parents borrowed the small amount of money despite their condition because they believed their financial hardship should not be their daughter’s reason to abandon her educational dream.
On the day Sanjika left home for Silchar, the area was still flooded. Her mom helped her with the luggage, and they went to the bus station an hour away from her village by boat. Sanjika still remembers clearly her worried but proud mother in the distance as she set off on her new educational journey. She felt immensely grateful for the opportunity and was determined to defy any challenges that comes her way.
When asked “If you could be granted one wish, what would that be?” Sanjika answered, “To have more knowledge quickly, so I can return to the village and help.”
