A blessed new life

“At the age of 10 my life was saved. I almost died. Until recently, I was afraid to recall the moment of that incident,” Joba, 17, said.

When Joba was a student of Grade 4, she had a severe accident.

“Suddenly a big branch of a tree fell onto my face and left it almost smashed while I was playing with friends. Immediately I was rushed to Mymensingh Medical Hospital, but doctors referred me to Dhaka.” Some of the most renowned hospitals were reluctant to admit her.

“However, Almighty God was with me. World Vision arranged a surgery at a hospital through its Social Welfare Outreach Project. I was healed well,” Joba revealed. “I could have died from that incident, but I had been graced a new life.”

Girls of my age in my area have already married. I am the only one who is still continuing my studies.

It was like a nightmare to Joba’s parent’s to arrange proper treatment as they were living hand to mouth. Joba’s mother Shanta Akter, 30, said “We were very poor and living in a tiny tin-thatched house located on a less than a-half decimal of land. But we were lucky enough as Joba was a sponsored girl. So World Vision came up with all treatment supports. We are very thankful.”

By and by Joba grew-up learning with different skills and knowledge through taking part in various World Vision programmes. Now alongside her college studies, Joba works as a Child Reporter in a national daily ‘Amader Somoy’.

She said, “I mainly focus on child rights issues such as stopping early marriage, child labour etc. in my reporting.” Earlier Joba was proposed to work as child journalist when she participated in a World Vision organised programme ‘open discussion session with journalists on child rights’.

Now Joba is giving leadership through Child Forum in her area. She stated, “If we need to invite high government officials as guests to any function, children send me on their behalf.”

In fact it was not easy to Joba to come in the stage where she is now. Joba’s father Abdul Jabbar, 40, said “I used to take our daughter to various programmes to ensure her participation and for her security as well. Sometimes, we let her go alone.”

Joba said “Girls of my age in my area have already married. I am the only one who is still continuing my studies. My father did not feel discouraged even with the unkind words from our neighbours.”

Once Joba’s father could hardly manage daily meals for his family but now they are living in a rented (two-room) house. Her parents have a contract from a factory to make net-bags and earn a good amount of money to maintain their living and studies. Earlier, Joba’s father was given a tailoring machine by World Vision. Business was so good they bought another machine.

This year Joba is appearing in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination from humanities group. She dreams to be a police officer.