Malkangiri: Malati Shisa of Khairaput Block in Malkangiri district is the first woman among Bonda tribals to obtain a post-graduate degree.
Residing in Bandiguda village, Malati did her primary schooling from Mudulipada Sevashram. She alighted from the hills to acquire higher education in the plains. She did her graduation and postgraduation from Capital city Bhubaneswar. Interestingly, the rate of literacy among tribals of Malkangiri is only 15 per cent.
Several greetings and accolades reached Malati for her first Master’s qualification from Malkangiri, but she is yet to land in a government job. Hailing from a poor family, Malati is determined to teach tribal children of her locality free of cost.
Malati, who watched her fellow women walk miles to fetch water from a distant stream, decided to sink a well near her house. She picked pickaxes and shovels to dig a well with the help of her three sisters during her vacation. She constructed the well within five days and the water is helping her family to raise vegetables in their backyard. Malati has set an example for her neighbours and other villagers who have also drilled similar wells in their farms.
On finding her leadership qualities, Malkangiri DRDA project director Bal Mukunda Bhuyan has said Malati deserves to be designated as the brand ambassador of her community and she would soon be involved in various government schemes of the district.
