Distressed women attain self-reliance in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Apr 12 (BSS): Around 200 rural underprivileged and distressed women of Mollikpur village under Paba Upazila of the district set examples of attaining self-reliance after getting scopes of income generating activities. At one stage, they thought that their sufferings and deprivation was the curse of fate and their hardcore poverty, unconsciousness and illiteracy crippled them mentally and physically. But, the distressed families lastly achieved economic self- reliance and well- being by adopting the money-making activities like swing and other tailoring and ware decorating and embroidery works. Earlier, they were imparted necessary training and given adult education free of cost by the Ladies Organisation for Social Welfare (LOFS), a development organisation, under its Women and Children Flourishing Centre with financial support from Bangladesh NGO Foundation. They are now enjoying the benefits of self-reliance after freeing themselves from the vicious cycle of poverty and hopeless condition. LOFS Executive Director Shahanaj Pervin told the news agency that beneficiaries are now happy over their improved socio-economic condition. Their improved consciousness are seen contributing themselves abstaining from various social misconception and curse especially child marriage and early pregnancy, dowry, gender discrimination and apathy to using contraceptives. She said the beneficiaries were imparted training on swing and other tailoring works and the illiterate women were given necessary education for improving their sustainable livelihood condition. In addition to the self-reliance program, their 110 dropped out children were brought back to the mainstreaming education activities through providing them with necessary education appliances and other stimulating inputs free of cost. Most of them are doing well in their classrooms and different competitive examinations, Shahanaj Parvin added. Housewife Bulbuli Begum (37), a beneficiary of the programme, is a mother of three daughters and a son. Her husband is a day-laborer. She became a member of the program around three years back. After completing her training successfully, she started swing and tailoring works at her house. Now, she earns Tk 3,500 to 4,000 every month. She, however, said her work pressure increase before Eid and different other family and social festival every year. Now, she becomes an owner of three cattle and earns profit of another Tk 2,000 after selling milk and cow-dung. Her social dignity has been enhanced as she rotates her family into happy and sends her children to school.