Curing the Problem

Change can come from anywhere and in any form. One doesn’t need resources as much as one needs sheer will to see the fulfilment of change. Ask Subhashini Mistry, who rose from adversity to help her fellow members, to ensure that they don’t suffer the same fate as she did.

Being born in a poor family, she was married of at the age of 12 to a poor farmer. Trying hard to make ends meet, she spent her days cooking food for her family. Tragedy struck when her husband fell ill and eventually passed away due to lack of medical assistance. That’s when she decided that she had to build a hospital for the needy.

However, with four small children to feed, Subhashini wondered how she would sustain a livelihood considering that she wasn’t educated at all and didn’t possess vocational training of any sort. Determined, she began saving money from selling vegetables. For 20 years, she toiled, never taking letting her hopes die. She saved as much as she could, spending only on food and her children’s upbringing. After having collected enough, she bought an acre of land.

She gathered the villagers and shared her ambition with them. She told them that she wanted to use the land to build a hospital and would only be able to do so if everyone pooled in some money. The villagers got together with her and gave her whatever they could afford; some donated a small sum, some raw material, while some offered their labour. They then went about announcing the need for doctors to voluntarily offer their services to the poor and the needy, at least once a week.

Slowly, yet steadily, doctors began to come in and attend to the patients. Word spread and the villagers began coming to Humanity Hospital, as it came to be known. However, during the monsoons, the thatched roof of the small hospital couldn’t sustain the downpour and the clinic would get flooded now and then.

Realizing the need for a concrete building, Subhasini and her son approached Malini Bhattacharya, Member of Parliament. Seeing her persistence and getting to know of her crusade to build a hospital that caters to the poor, Malini wholeheartedly lent her support in raising funds and ensured that the endeavours received ample media coverage. With media support, donations poured in swiftly. The hospital was shifted to bigger land, 3 more floors were added and special departments were added.

The journey was long and arduous, but Subhasini never lost sight of the real goal. She believed that she could spark change and that she could tempt fate to favour her. She persisted and approached an MP to address her concerns.

We all have something to learn from her persistence and determination – that if we want a solution to a problem, we must learn to be an active part of it. Subhashini also taught an invaluable lesson – that women need to believe in their individual strength and their collective power. Together, change can happen.

But we must agree to take the first step to change – and step forward together!