RANGPUR, May 30, 2019 (BSS) – ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’, one of the Prime Minister’s 10 priority initiatives, has made women empowerment visible by making many rehabilitated women solvent enabling them to lead better life with family members.
Officials of the district administration said most female members of the rehabilitated families at ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ have achieved self-reliance through various income generating activities.
“Already 4,500 floating families have been rehabilitated after completing 41 projects in three phases in all eight upazilas of the district since 1997,” said Deputy Commissioner Enamul Habib.
After rehabilitation, local government departments provided training to adult males and females to increase their awareness, expertise and human resource development for income generating activities.
“Many rehabilitated women have empowered them by achieving self-reliance getting assistance under the government’s comprehensive social safety-net activities,’ Habib added.
Talking to BSS, rehabilitated women said they led floating life after losing everything they had following repeated river erosions though they have changed fortune under the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ over the years.
Rehabilitated Anisa Begum at Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo in Nohali union of Gangachara upazila said she got life anew after getting necessary training and easy-term micro-credit under the social safety-net programmes.
“I got Taka 6,000 micro-credit from Upazila Cooperative Office for the first time, again got Taka 9,000, Taka 12,000 and Taka 15,000 after completing timely payments of her successive loans,” she said.
“With help of my husband Mashiur, I am cultivating crops, crushing paddy and irrigating crop fields using shallow machine. Our three children are going to schools. I have now assets of Taka 4.75 lakh,” Anisa said.
Similarly, rehabilitated Bulbuli Begum there said the ‘Asrayan Prokalpo’ has changed her life after rehabilitation there in 1997, getting training and micro-credit for income generations.
“Like other beneficiaries, I am making good profits to raise my capital through small- scale business, animal husbandry, poultry, vegetable and fruit farming on homesteads to lead better life,” said Bulbuli.
Rehabilitated Lucky Begum at ‘Chengmari Asrayan Phase-2 Prokalpo’ in Gangachara upazila said she overcame economic vulnerability since her rehabilitation there nine years back.
“After getting training, Upazila Cooperative Office provided me with Taka 6,000 first loan in 2012 when I started cultivating crops as a sharecropper,” she said.
After repaying first loan, Lucky again got Taka 8,000 in 2014, purchased a bull, sold the same at Taka 24,000 in 2016, paid the second loan and again got Taka 18,000 loan in 2016.
“I have now three bulls, 12 decimals of crop lands. I am running a grocery shop. I have assets worth Taka four-lakh. My daughter Nasrine and son Russel are studying in schools,” Lucky added.
Gangachara Upazila Cooperatives Officer Mohammad Aftabuzzaman said 2,660 river-eroded families have so far been rehabilitated at 19 ‘Asrayan Prakalpa’ in Gangachara upazila alone of the district.
“Most female members of the rehabilitated families have attained self-reliance through income generating activities by ensuring proper utilisation of micro-credit to empower them in taking family decisions,” Aftabuzzaman added.
Rehabilitated Suruza Begum at Osmanpur Khamarerdanga Asrayan project in Badarganj upazila said she got necessary training and then Taka 8,000 for the first time as micro-credit in 2009 and purchased a heifer.
“After that I got micro-credit several times and purchased a heifer every time,” she said, adding that she also assisted her son-in-law Humayun to establish a poultry farm in nearby Beltoli Bazar.
“Currently, I have well-furnished house with television, solar panel, four cows, 20 decimals of land and other properties worth Taka 12-lakh,” said a happier Suruza Begum.
Similarly, rehabilitated Tahuza Begum there said she got Taka 8,000 in 2009 as micro-credit followed by Taka 10,000 in 2011 and invested the money to income generating activities.
“Now, I have five cows, 22 chickens, a solar panel, furniture, 10 decimals cultivable land taken on lease and other properties worth Taka six lakh,” she said adding that she bears educational expenses of her two sons.
Similarly, many rehabilitated women at Balatari Asrayan Prokalpo, Purbo Kochua- 2 Asrayan Prokalpo, Neelchondi Asrayan Prokalpo, Bagpur Asrayan Prokalpo and Chengmari 1 and 2 Asrayan Prokalpo narrated their success stories.