Like other children Maimoona suffered for years due to the lack of proper road connectivity to her school in Naktua, a village, which is quite far from her settlement, in the district.
For residents of Nakuta too, it was a major issue. For sick and elderly, it was even more difficult. Narsinghpur, the town and the district headquarters, wasn't too far, yet all pleas to get a road constructed, fell on deaf years of the officials.
One day, the girl decided to take a step herself. She wrote a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who terms himself as 'mama' [uncle] of children, especially, girls. The first letter elicited no response. But she wasn't disappointed and wrote another letter.
Yet again there wasn't any answer. However, Maimoona wrote the third letter. The schoolgirl's constant communication was finally taken seriously. The officials were directed to take immediate action. Plan was made and under a development scheme, funds were sanctioned.
Soon the construction material came and the work began. The road was laid down. The 'bhanji' (niece) was delighted. The villagers were surprised, as the efforts of the politically connected persons, had failed to get the road constructed.
The approach road was laid and connected to the bypass. Everybody including the village Sarpanch praise her for her determination and her idea to write directly to CM.
Maimoona belongs to an ordinary Muslim family. She had asked her father before writing the letter. Her father Mohammad Husain Pathan owns a tailoring shop.
But that's how ordinary people dream big and ultimately get close to their goals. The key is to be positive, work for change and take proactive action.
Things may move slowly, but they do move, if you are persistent. Maimoona is a bright girl, who is good in studies, and wants to get into administrative services, so that she can also help needy people and ensure development. [Second photo shows Maimoona standing on the newly constructed road]
(This news was published in Hindi newspapers in Narsinghpur-Jabalpur and in local editions of other Hindi-English papers of MP later)