Instilling confidence into poor char women

Extreme poor women living on char or reclaimed land in different areas of the country can change their fate, if they get proper opportunities and assistance. The women living on such land in Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Lalmonirhat have set many examples of this. Life is riddled with endless problems in these char areas. Instead of being part of Bangladesh, these areas seem detached from the mainland and the women here are the most deprived section of people. They are deprived of all basic rights including food, health and schooling. But with assistance from the Nodi O Jibon-II which is funded by Concern Worldwide, the women here have changed their fate. They are now happy. They are not only achieving economic development, but also their awareness about social responsibilities and rights is increasing. The extreme poor women at Char Gongrajani and Hatulia-Nakalia and Moddho Char in Pabna, Char Paka, Alatoli and Durlovpur in Chapainawabganj, Char Atrapara, Boyarmari and Asaridoho in Rajshahi, Char Sindurna, Gobordhon, Rajpur and Dawabari in Lalmonirhat are moving towards development.
Ruby, an extreme poor woman and mother of three, living in Char Modhupur under Pabna Sadar Upazila is now self-sufficient. Even two years ago she was in an abyss of woes after losing her husband. The Nodi O Jibon-II project has brought about a new change in her life. She is now considered eligible for becoming a social leader. She is committed to protecting human rights of the extreme poor.
The Bangladesh Organisation for Social Service (BOSS) started working on food security at Moddho Char in Pabna Sadar upazila in 2011 under the Nodi O Jibon-II project, funded by the Concern Worldwide and the Irish Aid. Then Ruby got involved with this project as a member and was elected president of the group Moyna. Ruby attended group meetings regularly. Ruby has undergone training on goat rearing under this project. One goat was given to her on completion of the training. The goat gave birth to two kids at a time. From these three goats she got 12 more within two years. After a certain period she sold five of them and earned Tk 9,000. Then she managed another Tk 3,000 and bought a cow at Tk 12,000. The market price of the cow is now Tk 25,000. Apart from that, she got Tk 3,000 from this project for cultivation of land. With the money she cultivated vegetable on a piece of land as a contract farmer. By doing so, she earned Tk 3,500. At the same time she is rearing poultry. She earns Tk 1,000 a month from this. Now she is leading a happy and comfortable life.
The story of Momena at Maraihati Char under Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila is far more different. Because of being disabled, she was being neglected everywhere. But Momena was successful to prove her skill with assistance from the Nodi O Jibon-II. Now Momena is working hard to make caps. From this she earns a fixed amount and is leading a happy life. Momena's paternal home was at Maraihati Char of Rajpur union under Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila. To survive erosion caused by the Teesta, she took shelter at Khalaighat Rajpur. Her father, Ismail Hossein, had no son. Momena was the eldest among three daughters. She got married with another unlucky person, Haider Ali five years back. Within four years they were blessed with two sons, but none of her sons survived. As Momena and her husband have no relatives, her husband cannot go out of the area for work. On the other hand, being physically disabled and losing an eye, it was not possible for Momena to work a domestic help. In such a situation Momena was selected as a member of the Uttara Development Programme Society (UDPS) under the project. She took training on sewing caps initiated by the UDPS. Then she used to sew caps by herself. Momena now can earn Tk 1140 per month staying at home. Her husband has cultivated Amon paddy on one and a half bighas of land. In February, 2013, Momena took training on how to run small business. And now she dreams of establishing a small grocery shop.
Like Momena and Ruby there are many other women, who are fighting against poverty to change their fate. The Nodi O Jibon-II project is thus instilling confidence into the hapless char people and teaching them how to dream and how to fight and overcome poverty and all other adversities.
Zahid Rahman  and Mandira Guha Neogi are freelance writers
and researchers.
 zahidrahman67@gmail.com