Ex-Army officer extends helping hand to widows, children hit by violence in Manipur

Pune: Moved by the plight of people hit by the ethnic violence in Manipur, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army has taken on a mission to help widows earn their livelihood and fund the education of children affected by the strife.

In recognition of his efforts, Lt Col L Manongba (retd) was honoured with the Veteran Achiever award by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi at the Army Day Parade in Pune last month.

He was lauded for empowering 35 widows to start small enterprises for their livelihood and supporting the education of 60 children who have lost their fathers in the strife-torn Manipur.

The north-eastern state is witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023 and hundreds have lost their lives.

"Through the Wings of Hope initiative, we continue our mission to rebuild lives and restore hope for those devastated by the ethnic violence in Manipur," Lt Col Manongba told PTI over phone.

A cadet of 56th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune in 1979, he dedicated himself to the welfare of ex-servicemen from Manipur after retiring from the armed forces.

He later established Wings of Hope, a charitable non-profit organisation, with the help of his batchmates and friends, aiming to uplift widows and children affected by the ongoing conflict in the north-eastern state.

“After retiring from the Army and spending some years in the corporate sector, I worked in Imphal as in-charge of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS). During my tenure, I managed to galvanise a network of ex-servicemen living in the difficult, hilly terrain of Manipur and provided assistance through an association of veterans,” he said.

Till April 2023, his association successfully reached out to ex-servicemen in remote areas, offering necessary aid.

However, the outbreak of ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities made it increasingly difficult to maintain these connections.

"As violence escalated in May 2023, communities living at the foothills of the valley were severely affected. Reports of young married men falling victim to the clashes were deeply distressing," the former Army officer said.

Determined to take action, he, along with his colleagues and fellow ex-servicemen, convened a meeting to devise a plan.

This led to the formal establishment of Wings of Hope, a charitable trust dedicated to improving the lives of those impacted by the ethnic conflict.

"The government has been making significant efforts to provide relief and assistance to displaced families. However, certain gaps remain, and we felt we could step in to bridge those gaps," he said.

After forming the trust, the team began visiting relief camps in affected areas.

"We found over 30,000 persons living in these camps under distressing conditions. During these visits, we identified 150 widows, all Meitei, aged between 25 and 40, who had lost their husbands in the violence. Additionally, more than 60 students were at the risk of dropping out of school due to financial constraints," he said.

Realising the urgent need for intervention, Wings of Hope took on two major projects—funding children's education and supporting widows in becoming financially self-sufficient.

"I reached out to my Alma Mater, spoke to my batchmates, seniors and friends, and sought financial assistance. As our first initiative, we began funding the education of 60 children. Every month, we provide Rs 95,000 to ensure they continue their studies," he said.

The second initiative focuses on helping widows establish sustainable livelihoods.

"We identified 35 widows in dire need of support and provided them with soft loans to help them become self-reliant. For instance, a woman in her 30s, who lost her husband in the clashes, was given a Rs 30,000 interest-free loan to start a poultry business," he said.

The woman used the funds to buy 300 chicks in December last year. In just 45 days, they grew into fully mature chickens, weighing more than 500 kg in total. A buyer purchased the entire stock, and she earned around Rs 50,000, Manongba explained.

Another widow received a financial aid of Rs 30,000 to start weaving muga silk.

Besides, groups of widows in the relief camps have taken up making handmade crochet dolls, incense sticks, handicrafts and other products.

"These items are being sold at flea markets in Kolkata and other regions, creating a sustainable source of income for the women," he added.