Two Time TB Survivor Becomes a National Karate Champion

Soumya John
GiveIndia
Published in
2 min readApr 30, 2018

Sita was 4 years old when was brought to Vatsalya Foundation, a nonprofit that works with the developmental needs of the poor.

She was malnourished and it took a whole year to stabilize her health. Right when things started to look up in Sita’s life, she fell terribly ill.

Struck by misfortune

Sita was diagnosed with tuberculosis when she was 9 years old. Vatsalya ensured that she got the needed treatment. After a course of direct observational therapy, the doctor declared her free of TB. But her challenges were far from over.

Sita was affected by TB again a year later. The same Public Health Center took up her case and she received extensive care until she began to recover for the second time.

Ever since the illness, Sita had a hard time learning. She remained an average student through a majority of her schooling. Most people had given up on her progressing much further but little did they know that Sita’s incredible journey had just begun.

Sita’s rise to glory

Sita and the karate team at Vatsalya Foundation

After almost 8 years, she started to transform. She began thinking about her future, wondering what she wanted to do and what she was capable of. With a renewed zest for life, she now looked around with clarity and focus.

Sita took to sports and was a natural fit in Karate. Her drive and talent led her to become a Brown Belt soon. She showed the world that she would not allow for any barrier to stop her when she won gold at the National level Karate Kickboxing Championship recently. She is on her way to becoming a Black Belt in Karate by 2019.

While sports is her forte, Sita has not limited herself to it. She has the spirit of a true artist and has been exploring different avenues where she can grow. She discovered that she enjoys block printing. The odds are with Sita this time as her height gives her a natural advantage with the art. She hopes to someday pursue block printing as her career.

Sita’s dedication and passion have been carrying her through life in unbelievable ways. You can donate to our GiveAssured partner Vatsalya Home to give more children like Sita the chance to beat the odds stacked against them and rise.

--

--

Soumya John
GiveIndia

Essays on love, loss, healing, mental health and identity. Read more on my IG: https://rb.gy/axcff6