Heartwarming Story of Manju as a Nurse
M.Manju hails from a lower economic family where her father is a farmer whose earning about Rs.6,000 per month and mother is a housewife. Manju’s brothers discontinued their studies after 10th or 12th so have limited options for livelihoods. Growing up, Manju struggled to manage a her school requirements, with father’s meagre income from agricultural work and she did not have much home to continue her higher studies. When her family came to know about the E2G scholarship offered through Kalanjiyam, she was overjoyed and encouraged to join the Nursing profession. As a E2G scholarship beneficiary, Manju received Rs.40,000 per year, for doing her nursing degree in Sri Santhoshi College of Nursing, Paiyambadi, Kanchipuram.
Manju is the first person in her family to have completed 12th and college. She is a health nurse and works at Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chrompet, Chennai and earning more than twice of what her father earns through wage labour.
Manju has understood the importance of girl child empowerment and believes that if not for the support, she would have been married off like many other girls in her village. Manju is thankful that her efforts and hard work have been recognized as a budding health professional. “I wanted a career that would ensure some job security. Nursing is hard work both physically and mentally but it is also extremely rewarding when you have the privilege to work with most vulnerable people who expect your care and concern with professionalism. All of these leads to their speedy recovery which gives me job satisfaction”, says Manju.
Manju who was part of the Training given by the project, claims that self-motivation talks inspired her a lot . She also recalled that she got to know about the Networking skills & hence applied it in this dire situation. Through the hospital sources, she tapped resources of various Trusts and referred such cases who needed financial support for advanced treatment and saving young lives through such support makes her happy and proud of her profession as a nurse.