SHILLONG, May 19: Kamphereiei Pala’s journey from a young boy doing odd jobs, including working in rat-hole coal mines, for sustenance to entering the last leg of his MBBS course has been strewn with obstacles.
Instead of breaking him, adversity made him stronger and more determined to become a doctor and bail his family out of poverty.
While in school, Pala worked at a Jadoh stall in his village – Moolamylliang in East Jaintia Hills – to earn Rs 150 a day. The money funded his education and some of the needs of his four siblings, as his mother’s earnings as a daily wage labourer weren’t enough.
Moolamylliang is known for its extravagant Christmas celebration but Pala hardly ever took part in it. He had to work for a living while others of his ilk drowned in the festivities.
Never once did he let a series of odd jobs affect his studies. His mother was his greatest strength; she encouraged him to pursue his goal, challenges notwithstanding.
Currently in his fifth year of medicine at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Pala told The Shillong Times how he saved money from his odd jobs for his higher education.
“My mother was a daily wage labourer, and even though we lived from hand to mouth, she never told me or my siblings to drop out of school, which is largely prevalent here,” he said.
He narrated his nightmares in the labyrinthine, suffocating mines prone to disasters.
“The mines are like mazes. You often get lost, and it happened to me. I cried and cried until my tears were dry. Luckily, I was found and recovered. I will never forget it,” he said.
Interning as part of his compulsory five-year course, Pala works for 10 to 12 hours at the medical college, following which he wants to do his post-graduation and specialise in paediatrics.
The change in his fortune was not overnight. A bright student, he missed a top 20 position in the SSLC examination 2019 by just 3 marks and was heartbroken over it.
He made up for it by securing the eighth position in the HSSLC examination in 2021 and cleared NEET the same year.
He stopped working after clearing his class 10 as he earned a 100% scholarship at the North Liberty Higher Secondary School, Jowai.
The We Care Foundation sponsored his entire medical education.
The foundation led by Bishnu Ram Medhi is a philanthropic organisation that began its journey in 2015 and has so far helped 50 students from humble backgrounds complete their education in various disciplines.
“Kamphereiei is the first of four in the medical field. One each is at Patna Medical College in Bihar, Bankura Medical College in West Bengal, and Christian Medical College in Vellore. Besides, the foundation is supporting some more students in other disciplines also,” Dr Medhi told The Shillong Times.
He said the foundation’s mission is rooted in his own story of overcoming adversity. “We cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone,” he said, echoing Pala’s sentiment.
“Financial poverty can never stop you from achieving something but poverty of the mind can,” Pala said philosophically.
