The Media Power: Realising the dream of Sapana
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 31, 2012 -

The story of Moirangthem Sapana, who, without parental support, has been bringing up not only her two younger siblings single-handedly but also educating herself and the overwhelming public response to her plight even to the extent of announcing financial support towards continuation of her study, has shown that humanity is not completely lost among the people of Manipur.

15-year old Sapana is the eldest of three children born to Moirangthem Devan and Moirangthem Ongbi Nganbi of Lamlongei. Her father has been suffering from mental illness for the last 10 years while the whereabouts of her mother is not known after she eloped with a stranger two years back.

But in spite of all these odds, rather than giving up, Sapana has faced every challenge that life could pose along her path and overcame all of them.

At such a tender age, she does not have any qualm over working as daily wage earner to feed her ailing father and two younger siblings.

From the meager income she could get, Sapana also send her two younger siblings to school and keeps alive her own dream of pursuing higher studies.

It is because of her never-say-die spirit and perseverance that Sapana has managed to clear High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination, 2012 in second division, securing 80 marks in Mathematics.

It may be not be an achievement that could come any nearer to that Md Ismat who created history by becoming the first Manpuri boy from the Northeast region to top the class XII CBSE examination, 2012 at all India level, but for a poor and destitute girl like Sapana, passing the matriculation itself is an achievement beyond any comparison.

It is heartening to know that many people from different walks of life have come forward to help Sapana and her family members after their story and struggle was brought to the attention of the world through media.

Apart Minister of Social Welfare AK Mirabai, Director of MOBC, Proprietor of Loktak Industries and one AK Ibomcha of Mongshangei announcing financial support, Education Minister M Oken has assured free education to Sapana at TG Higher Secondary School.

What is even more endearing is the fact that student body, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has assured every possible assistance towards ensuring further education of not only Sapana but also of her two younger siblings.

With such kind of overwhelming support and assurance, we can rest assure that lives of many a poor girls like Sapana in Manipur would be saved from the curse of penury and undue hardships of life.

We cannot rule out that there may not be many more Sapanas in every nook and corner of the state, but they are not so lucky enough to get the attention of media.

In the present case, media has definitely done a great job in bringing up the story of Sapana and her struggle to the attention of the people.

But we would also like the numerous social organizations, more particularly the student bodies, in the state to pick up the thread from where the media has left behind in fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of thousands of poor but gutsy Sapanas in Manipur and beyond. Only then we could think of a truly supportive society.