Rangpur rural women find answer in micro-credit

Our Correspondent RANGPUR, Dec 26: Micro-credit has brought dramatic changes in the life of many poor women in Rangpur district. A large number of women in the district have changed their lot by taking loans from various non-government organisations (NGOs). Rural women who were virtually starving before are now able to manage their families by themselves. While talking to the FE Kohinur Begum (35), of Hazratpur village under Mithapukur upazila in the district said few days ago income of her husband, a poor day labourer, was far from enough to meet the basic requirements of their family. Then she decided to do something positive to change the fortune of her family. She received loan from BRAC and set up a dairy farm on the premises of her house. Now she has five cows and six bulls in her farm. She also gets 25 litres of milk everyday from her cows. Her monthly income now is Tk 20,000 to Tk 22,000. Momena Khatun (40), another housewife of Najirdah village under Kaunia upazila in the district said she received loans of Tk 5,000 from ASA to start her own poultry business. She continued to expand her enterprise repaying and retaking loans from the same organisation every year. Now Momena is the owner of a poultry farm. She can save at least Tk 4,000 to 5,000 per month after managing her family. These success stories of Kohinur and Momena encouraged many women of their areas. Following their examples hundreds of rural women have also become self-reliant through various income generating activities by micro-credit support from the NGOs. Blankets distributed CARE Bangladesh and Swayam Krishi Sangam (SKS) jointly distributed 765 blankets among the poor people at different unions under Rangpur Sadar upazila on Saturday. The warms clothes were distributed under Economic Transformation of the Ultra Poor (SETU) project of CARE. Of the blankets, 341 pieces were distributed by CARE in Rajendrapur and Chandanpat unions while 424 by SKS in Uttom, Mominpur and Horidebpur unions. After receiving the winter cloths a 75 year old Hasem Ali of Uttam area under Rangpur Sadar said that he had long suffered from cold in winter nights. "Now I hope to sleep in peace at night," he added. Among others Rangpur Sadar Upazila Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa, Upazila vice chairman Masud Nabi Munna, CARE SETU Project officer Ataur Rahman and Shahinur Rahman were present.