Disability no problem for Sumi

Disabled Sumi working at her office CCH in Mymensingh town. PHOTO: STAR

Walking on crutches with the left leg paralised, she is now educated and self-reliant. Now she is a student of BA at Muktagachr Shaheed Smiriti Government College at Muktagacha and working as a computer operator and accountant at the Community Centre for the Handicapped (CCH) in the district town. Sumi attends office at the CCH, travelling about 15 kilometres every day.

Daughter of Shyamol Gour and Arati Gour, Sumi was eager for studies and started going to school with the help of her father.

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After completing primary education, she entered local Nogendra Pilot Girls High School and passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in 1998 in Second Division. Sumi gratefully remembers the care and affection of her parents, her uncle Kashia Gour and Selim Jahangir, a teacher at the primary school who encouraged her to continue studies. She passed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination in 2001. Now she is a final year student of BA.

"As I am disabled, I have to do something to be self-reliant. I got the job by dint of merit", she told this correspondent at her office recently.

She participated in a training course on computer at the Centre for Rehabilitation of Paralysed (CRP) at Savar in Dhaka in 2002.

"After the training I was convinced that disability is no problem", a confident Sumi said. "Any body with disability like me can be educated and self-reliant".

Sumi wants to be lawyer because this will upgrade her social position and help her to work for the underprivileged in the society.

"I want to do some thing for the disabled so that people remember me after my death", Sumi said.

She is also working with CRP self-help group in her area (in Muktagacha upazila) since 2001 as a volunteer.

"I spend my holidays with disabled people in my area and organise them, discuss how disability can be overcome. I encourage disabled people to be educated and trained to become self-reliant. I have sent some of them to the CRP for training".

Second among a brother and two sisters, an unmarried Sumi said she wants to lead a life with honour so that no one can ignore her.

But she feels that not all in the society appreciate her struggle, Sumi regretted. People should change their attitude towards. The physically disabled should get equal opportunity like others in the society in all walks of life, she said.