Wungthingla gets new life, goes to school
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 21 2012: Thanks to all the philanthropists, M Wungthingla who was once rejected by her own peers because of a nose disfigured by a huge skin growth now goes to school.

Wungthingla is now living a new life, full of hope and free from social discrimination after her deformity has been fully cured.

Wungthingla's deformity and her family's helpless condition was reported for the first time in The Sangai Express on February 1, 2009 together with a photograph.

At that time, Wungthingla was only nine years old.

They are residents of Wanglee, a remote village along Indo-Myanmar border under Kamjong sub-division in Ukhrul district.

The same news item carried by this paper was webcast in Tangkhul.com through a link address.

Soon, the story of Wungthingla reached many Tangkhul diasporas spread across the world.

One Michel, a French national who is married to Ateo, a Tangkhul woman was deeply hurt by the news.

Wungthingla (encircled) now and then (inset)

After seeing the photograph of Wungthingla, Michel's daughter Rebecca decided to donate the money she was saving for Christmas and her own birthday towards treatment of Wungthingla.

In the meantime, many people led by Governor Gurbachan Jagat, Additional Chief Secretary PC Lawmkunga and former MLA Bijoy Koijam started a donation campaign for treatment of Wungthingla.

With the help of one Pamchui Marinao, Michel set off on a long journey of curing the young girl.

Michel admitted Wungthingla at CMC Hospital, Ludhiana the same year.

After a meticulous planning by nine surgeons, Wungthingla was operated upon for eight hours on May 1 .

One Tangkhul woman who had married to an American citizen also assisted in the operation.

One neuro-surgeon remarked that the operation was a great achievement in the medical history.

After coming back to Imphal, Wungthingla was again taken to Ludhiana for medical check up.

All these years, Michel has been looking after Wungthingla like his own daughter.

When Wungthingla was fully cured, Michel brought her to a children home located at Ukhrul Viewland which is run by his own father-in-law.

Now Wungthingla is studying at Oriental School, Ukhrul in class IV .

Talking over phone every day, Michel said he has been closely monitoring the health and growth of Wungthingla.