Once considered one of the most underdeveloped hill communities, the Mro have made notable progress. Among those who have advanced, Sanchang Mro stands out as the first female doctor from this community.
Her journey was challenging. After seeing her mother suffer from a prolonged illness and losing her sister due to inadequate medical care, her father, Kaingpre Mro, decided to ensure one of his children became a doctor. Sanchang’s ambition to become a doctor was also fueled by her sister’s death during her childhood.
Sanchang, a student from the 2017-2018 batch at Rangamati Medical College, is now interning there. She hails from Paia Karbari Para village in Alikadam upazila, Bandarban, and is the daughter of Kaingpre Mro and Tumlung Mro.
Her early education began at home with her father, who taught her to write on the ground or banana leaves. Believing in the power of education, he enrolled her in a distant hostel called Lama Mission.
When it closed, she moved to Teidang Hostel, managed by Father Lupe, and studied at Champatpara Government Primary School and Alikadam Government High School, earning scholarships in fifth and eighth grades.
Due to a lack of good science teachers in Alikadam, she attended St Joseph’s High School and College. Despite financial hardships, many teachers and sisters supported her.
After her SSC exams, she passed the entrance exam for Holy Cross College but couldn’t enroll due to lack of funds. Sister Namita helped her return and study without fees, with teachers providing free lessons and Sister Mary Margaret giving her pocket money.
After her HSC exams, she stayed in Dhaka to support her siblings and prepare for medical entrance exams, which she found extremely challenging. She took the exams alone, unlike her peers who had parental support.
Her happiest moment was receiving her acceptance to Rangamati Medical College. Since then, financial worries have eased, thanks to support from the Bandarban Hill District Council, Subarna Bhumi Foundation, BSSB, and senior students.
Sanchang aims to prevent deaths from lack of medical care in the hills, where proper medical facilities are still scarce. Thong Pre Mro, general secretary of the Alikadam-Naikhongchhari Mro Council, praised her achievement as a blessing for the Mro community.
