‘Life is not a bed of roses’ – Mahfuza Khatun knew it all too well from her very childhood. For the daughter of a landless and physically impaired father, the path to Satkhira Medical College Hospital (SMCH) was strewn with difficulties.   “I know poverty and its cruel nature,” she said. Mahfuza had overcome all hurdles life threw at her and got admitted to SMCH this year.   The daughter of Abdul Mannan and Khaleda Begum of Boidanga village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila had to struggle throughout her life to reach this position. But it would have been impossible without her grandfather Mongol Mondol.   Mannan lived at a worn-out hut with his daughter, son and wife. Things were looking gloom for Mahfuza. She might have ended up being married off like so many girls from poor families in rural areas.   Life was very difficult and Mannan struggled to feed his family working as a day-labourer. “We knew about the talent of our daughter, but couldn’t do anything due to extreme poverty,” he said.