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A Weapon against
Poverty
Mst. Mariam Begum, age
28, lives in Baluchakuli village of Gazipur
district. Her financial condition was not sound. The income of her husband
Md. Moksed Ali was very low. Several times she tried to take loan for a
poultry farm, but since the interest rate is so high, she dared not take any
loan from money lenders. So being inspired by the services of BEES in her
locality, one day she went to the BEES office. There she came to know about
the poverty alleviation program of BEES in details. She received motivation
to become involved for an overall development. Being motivated she involved
herself with their activities.
“Now, I don’t have to
pay high interest to village usurer. I’m free from all sorts of anxiety and
leading a happy life with my family. And all credit goes to BEES. It is them
who helped me to become financially solvent,” narrates Mariam with shining
eyes.
Mariam was a housewife.
As her husband’s income was very low, they could never cross the poverty
line. Life was very much miserable. She always dreamt of becoming an earning
lady herself. But it was not possible to materialize until she got involved
in BEES group. As she had interest in poultry rearing, she decided to
establish a poultry farm. With the advice of BEES Extension Worker at first
she received a loan of Tk. 5,000 with which she brought some chicks and
began to rear them. Within few months she started to get benefit from that.
She sold some hens and some started to lay eggs. Next year she took more
loans to expand her project. In this way she repaid Tk. 1,35,000 of her
total loan. Now she has taken another Tk. 6,000 as credit from BEES. Behind
her success her husband always encouraged her and helped her with her works.
Now her monthly income is about Tk. 15,000.
Mariam has a son of 8
years and he is the student of class two. Her 6 years old daughter is in
nursery. Her hope is to educate her children properly, so that they can
enjoy better life. They do not have to face financial difficulties now.
Moreover she is saving money for future. Now she is economically and
financially secured. Her neighbors often come to her for different types of
decisions. “I’m socially empowered now. I know my rights as a human being.
Now I apply my voting rights. I have learnt about many important things like
primary health care, hygiene, nutrition, sanitation etc. from BEES. I always
try to convince destitute ladies to became member of BEES”, says Mariam.
Being attached with
BEES for 7 years the views of Mariam have completely changed. She often
encourages the women of her village about poultry project. She thinks that
it is a good source of income for rural women as they have some experience
in poultry rearing. At the same time, nutritional level of the family could
be enhanced. Since she has been benefited from poultry project she sets a
practical example in front of them. Furthermore she keeps her advice open
for her neighbors for other feasible income generating activities as well as
raises social awareness among them. Mariam Begum, the newly empowered woman
has taken up the noble job of motivating others to move towards empowerment.
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BEES– a Friend in
Need
We had been deserted,
helpless and penniless. Our only concern was how to pass the rest of our
life, as our son had separated from us. My husband used to work as day labor
but due to old age he could no more do that. Besides we didn’t have any land
of our own. All we had was our house and the two of us- me Mst. Asia Akter,
age 45 and my husband Md. Hossain Miah, age 55, two helpless victims of
extreme poverty and uncertainty. At times we would manage a scanty meal, at
times even not so. Hunger, hardship and uncertainty had been ruling over our
life. It was then I came to know of BEES and its credit program from a
neighboring woman. She told me that BEES gave loans to people with easy
interest and it had to be repaid by installments. I talked with my husband
about it. We both became convinced that we could start an income generating
activity if we could avail the loan. We decided to start a shop and so I
enrolled myself in ‘Kewa Pashchim Madhya Mohila Samiti’ – a group of BEES
under Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district where I live.
As the group member I
received Tk. 5,000 as loan at first which I invested to start a grocery shop
in 2001. I am the owner of the shop and I manage my shop. My husband helps
me in my work. I sell a variety of grocery items at my shop. The sale is
good and earns enough profit to put an end to our days from hand to mouth.
The next year I received Tk. 7,000 and Tk.10,000 in the year after that. Now
my shop has grown considerably from the one at the beginning. The villagers
come to my shop for their day to day needs. I find satisfaction over being
able to run my business. I don’t have to worry any longer about how to
manage barely the day’s meals. My shop has yielded me good days. I have been
able to pay the installments and save some extra after managing our
expenses. My monthly earning from the shop is around Tk. 3,000. I have also
bought a cow and I earn about Tk. 500 from selling milk. Tk. 3,500 per month
is enough for the two of us. Previously my husband’s monthly income had been
Tk. 1,600 when he could work as a day labor. But then there were also the
workless days which were even worse. Compared to that my life has changed
upside down putting me on a higher ground. I don’t feel dejected any more.
My financial stability has earned me security. I never knew women could be
equal to men. But getting involved with BEES I have learnt to believe in the
hidden power inside me. Now I know that I can depend on myself rather than
looking up to my husband or my son.
Every week we have to
gather for the weekly group meeting where the BEES worker discusses about
many important issues. From those discussions I have learnt that men and
women have equal rights. I have also learnt the adverse result of early
marriage, the curse of the dowry system and that it is our duty to protest
it. BEES has taught me about the importance of health, hygiene, cleanliness,
safe water, sanitation, nutrition and so on. Now I know that our environment
is our heritage and it’s our duty to conserve it by means of plantation,
preventing pollution etc. These awareness have opened an inner eye of me and
now I find a newer meaning of life. While I was just a housewife earlier,
now I have become a complete human being with a high degree of
consciousness. I have earned a respectable position both in family and
society.
Apart from the
financial assistance and the awareness building, I am also getting some
other services from BEES. BEES is providing us the medical services by
qualified doctors when we get sick. BEES also gives us good quality seeds
for kitchen gardening twice a year. I am growing vegetables at my homestead
and it is fulfilling our need of nutritional intake. What has impressed me
most about BEES is that BEES has targeted an overall development of the life
of the backward and destitute people like me. I have become much empowered
by my involvement with BEES. Because when I was about to give in BEES has
kindled the sprit in me to fight back. BEES has taught me to believe in my
power within, shake off the passive attitude towards life. Now I have also
learnt to dream again. I don’t feel old and abandoned any more. I hope to
expand my shop and build a nice house in future. BEES, like a true friend
has extended its support to us in our days of desertion while our own son
could not be looked upon to. My development has influenced my acquaintances
and many have become inspired. Seeing me, my neighbor Mst. Ajufa Akhtar
along with three other women has joined BEES group. Previously I was not a
believer in the good intention of organizations like BEES, my involvement
has changed my misconception. Now I believe that involvement in similar
program as BEES’ can bring change of luck to the poor and advice others to
follow my path.
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