Madhu Maya BK, 24 works as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife at the community health unit of Bandarjhula.
She was compelled to drop out after eighth grade as her parents could not afford her education. She spent more than seven months with her parents and supported them to earn. In the meantime, Markku Voutilainen, a Finish development professional visited the village. He came to know about the situation of Madhu’s family and her education. He promised to support for her further studies.
Madhu was a laborious student. She joined ninth grade in Saraswoti Secondary School, Gautamnagar in Thori village of Parsa district. There was no single School in the village. Markku encouraged and supported her by providing stationaries. After two years, Madhu passed SLC and completed ANM course.
After completing her studies, she married Manoj Kumar BK, who was from Baglung. He had also completed CMA course. With common interest, they started a first Clinic at Banderjhula. Samari Utthan Sewa (SUS), a local NGO provided all supports to run the Clinic. They provided free health service to the whole village. Before that, there was no health checkup facility in the village. Later in 2013, Nepal Government took the responsibility of running the health centre in Bandarjhula.
Background Information about Bandarjhula
Badarjhula, a tiny village marooned from the rest of the country in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park. The 2600 residents of Badarjhula are especially vulnerable. Squatters in their place of origin and victims of floods and landslides, they moved here with the end of the Panchayat era when they heard the new democratic dispensation had promised them land.
The government disagreed and has asked them to move several times. In 2004, the army set the village on fire after warning them to leave. The residents soon returned and rebuilt their homes. Now, they have nothing more than pots and pans in their name.
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