[ 2012.3. 8 ]
Collected January 2012
By Sparrow McGowan, CARE Canada
Story 1 An expanding world
Rina Begum's soft smile belies the strength and inspiring leadership that has made her both a community and national leader in her home country of Bangladesh. Five years ago, Rina wouldn't have been able to leave her home in Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh, unless she was accompanied by a male family member. Today, she welcomes both female and male visitors as the leader of her local women's group, known as an EKATA (Empowerment, Knowledge and Transformative Action) group.
Rina's group, originally started as part of CARE's SHOUHARDO program five years ago, is made up of 20 women. Although CARE's involvement in the program ended over a year ago, the women have continued the group, making great strides for bettering not only their lives but the community as a whole. Today, they talk about everything from children's education and local dispute resolutions, to ensuring community access to government services such as immunization and birth delivery, and ensuring people receive their national identity card so they can vote.
Rina also serves on other community groups, including three school management committees, and is an executive member of the People's Organization Convention (POC), an annual meeting that brings together more than 400 community groups. Rina, through the POC, is trying to bridge the gap between the needs of local communities and the national government service providers. She is a rare leader, who has not only managed her own development, but has created a space for the other women in her group to flourish. Because of this, they are all seen as leaders in their community, and regularly turned to for support, such as resolving family disputes or going to the hospital.
The group points out that husbands are showing increased respect for their wives throughout the community. And the group now knows what their rights are - and are fully confident in asserting and accessing them. "We were worried that our intermediaries were misrepresenting us," says one woman in reference to men who would go to the local government with their requests. So now they communicate directly with the service providers, travelling some 60km to the local government offices. "It was only because of joining this EKATA group that this is possible," she says.
Together, the EKATA group has stopped a number of child marriages in the community, started an early child care for development program and created a savings group. They are also all employed, earning income through activities such as raising livestock, making and selling food products, running a small shop or offering tailoring services.
The results for their families and the community have been inspiring. Five years ago, young girls would often be pulled out of school at a young age. Today, the education of young girls is valued and they push for continuous education. The families of Rina and the other women in her group would previously have lived on only one to two meals a day. Today, they all get three meals a day, and their children are fed a range of healthy foods, including eggs, meat, fish and vegetables.
Story 2 Weaving success
Five years ago, 40-year-old Rowshan Ara was making thread for a living, earning an average of 200 to 250 Taka (2 to 3 USD) a week. Coupled with her husband Toiab's small income as a handloom labourer, they struggled to buy food and were unable to afford school costs for their children. Today, Rowshan Ara reflects on that time, saying that she knew that owning their own handloom would give them the opportunity to make change in their lives, but the 6,000 Taka (approx. 72 USD) price tag for a handloom was out of reach.
Identified by CARE's SHOUHARDO program as being amongst the very or extreme poor, Rowshan Ara became eligible for support. She was given a grant of 1,500 Taka (approx. 18 USD). Still short of the cost of a handloom, Rowshan Ara and her husband took a loan from a local organization and were able to purchase a loom. They returned that loan and through saving and borrowing have grown their business to include six handlooms, producing 150 saris a week in their small factory. They sell the saris at the local market and earn between 24,000 and 25,000 Taka weekly. What's more, they employ six workers.
Rowshan Ara points out that the relationship between her and her husband is excellent. With him managing the purchasing and selling and her managing the factory, they are a team. The business not only ensures that they, their sons (22, 16 and 3 years old) and daughter (13 years old) are now able to eat regular, healthy meals, but her 16-year old son and 13-year-old daughter are also in school, and her eldest son is part of the family business. In the community, Rowshan Ara is now seen as a role model and business competitor.
In looking to the future, Rowsha Ara points out that currently the factory is all hand-based machinery, but they are planning to eventually bring in modern machines so they can increase the number of workers and the factory size.
Story 3 Planting a better future
When asked about her life five years ago, 50-year-old Dulali Begum quickly becomes shy. She and her family live in Velabari Village in the Bogra District of Bangladesh and were among the extremely poor of an already very poor community. Her husband Jamal had lost the use of his legs and Dulali had to beg to feed her family. But ask her about her life today and she immediately lights up. From the simple provision of 200 Taka (approx 2 to 3 USD) worth of seeds and training from CARE's SHOUHARDO program, with a small patch of land from her village, Dulali and her family now have a steady and healthy supply of food, a small business and her 14-year-old son is in school.
Dulali's owes much of this success to her persistence and dedication to building a better life. Dulali took the seeds given to her and planted and cultivated them to produce vegetables that could be sold for an income, and also used to feed her family. From the money she earned from her vegetables, she bought hens and started a small poultry farm. She then sold hens for a profit allowing her to purchase supplies for her husband, a skilled craftsman, to start making handicrafts. Today, she sells the handicrafts locally, using market knowledge she learned through CARE's SHOUHARDO program - all this from the cultivation of seeds and support from CARE.
"When I used to go to the market to sell products, I wasn't able to bargain. Now I have the ability to determine my proper price and say 'this is the price - you can buy it if you want to pay that price'. I've become quite clever."
Dulali and her family now enjoy three meals of good food daily, compared to the one or two meals they previously managed. They eat a mixture of vegetables as well as small fish and eggs, and meat a couple of times a week. She has also purchased trees that are planted around her house that serve two purposes: Dulali lives next to a flood plain and the trees help stop erosion and keep her land elevated, but they are also an investment. In about five years, the trees will mature and their wood will command a significant amount of money at market, approx. 6000 Taka (72 USD).
The relationship with her husband has also changed substantially. "This family depends on Dulali because she is doing every job," says her husband Jamal. "Although I make the handicrafts, she is selling them and cultivating the vegetables, going to market and managing the family. I respect her for this." When asked if she is now involved in household decision making, Dulali responds, "Definitely! Why not?" They also look forward to a brighter future for their son -- that he will be well educated and go on to have a good job, a better life.
The Chairman of the Village's Development Committee points out that the village was one of the poorest in Bangladesh, but that women like Dulali are helping to improve the condition of the whole community. "Dulali is one of the influential women in the community", he says. "She is a role model."
What's more, the EKATA group has expanded the world for its members. Since joining the EKATA group, Rina has travelled across the country, carrying her goal to make life better for herself, the others in her group and her community. Referring to her group's meeting space, Rina says, "This room was not the only destination in my life. I had to explore beyond it."
