RANGPUR, Sept 20, 2019 (BSS) – More than 45,000 poor women-led households
of 1,454 backward rural communities in four northern districts have overcome
extreme poverty through social, economic, political and women empowerment.
Earlier, these women remained trapped in the vicious cycle of generational
poverty even a decade ago.
However, they have become self-reliant through various income-generating
activities (IGAs) through collective efforts and utilising local resources
making a transformational change in their lives.
This transformational change prompted since 2009 with multidimensional
interventions of the seven-year term (2009-2016) Social and Economic
Transformation of the Ultra-Poor (SETU) project of CARE Bangladesh.
Among these successful rural women, 25 have been elected as Members of
local union parishads and are playing vital role in community affairs
accelerating rural development and women empowerment even after expiry of the
project.
The SETU project was implemented in 1,454 communities of 25 unions of
seven upazilas in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat where the
poor were affected earlier by seasonal food insecurity during seasonal lean
periods.
Talking to BSS, project beneficiary women of different villages discussed
their journey that began with community action plans based on participatory
analysis of extreme poverty in 2009.
Former President Sufia Begum of the ‘Para Unnayan Committee (PUC) of
village Sarkerpara in Ramnagar union of Sadar upazila in Nilphamari said the
116 poor families living there identified problems for collectively
addressing those.
“After identification of open defecation practice as major reason for
water-borne diseases, we collectively resolved the predicament collectively,”
Sufia said.
“Within only one month, the villagers brought all 116 households under
sanitation coverage under leadership of natural leader of the village Anufa
Begum,” she added.
Through forming 25-member women’s ‘Unity’ group, its volunteers freed the
village from child marriage, eve-teasing, malnutrition, illiteracy and
repression and provided all able couples, pregnant women and adolescent with
knowledge on health and hygiene.
To cope with lean seasons during the months of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’, the
villagers formed local community based ‘Women Savings Group (WSG)’ with 32
members with Anufa as its General Secretary.
The Sarkerpara WSG deposited Taka 18,000 and SETU project added Taka 20,000
to raise its capital to Taka 38,000 when it started providing loans up to
Taka 8,000 among its members for starting IGAs.
Beneficiaries Aklima Khatun, Momena, Anufa Begum, Tahuza Begum and Sufia
Begum said they took Taka 7,500 to 8,000 each as interest free loans from WSG
and invested in businesses and IGAs with assistance of their husbands.
Chairman of Ramnagar union Mizanur Rahman said, for her contribution to
bringing socio-economic change in Sarkerpara village, local people elected
Anufa as a female Member from reserved wards of the union parishad in 2016.
Similarly, 62 poor households of Gangadas Baraipara village of Haridebpur
union in Sadar upazila of Rangpur have won extreme poverty through becoming
self-reliant and women empowerment making a transformational change in their
lives.
Led by natural leader and former General Secretary of Baraipara WSG
Bharoti Rani, the community-led total development approaches facilitated
environment for the change through enhancing human, social, economic and
political capitals.
Former President of Baraipara ‘PUC’ Naresh Chandra said they have
significantly diversified livelihoods, built own organisations and
relationship with local Haridebpur union parishad.
To address the joblessness situation during the seasonal lean periods, the
villagers formed Baraipara WSG with 37 members and women ‘Unity’ group with
25 volunteers.
The village is now clean, free from water-borne diseases, child marriage,
malnutrition, illiteracy, repression and all able couples, pregnant women and
adolescents have knowledge about health and hygiene.
Moyna Rani, President of Baraipara WSG said, its members deposited Taka
37,000 in 2013 and the project added Taka 20,000 when they started providing
Taka 5000 to Taka 8,000 loans to their members for IGAs.
Beneficiary women Pompa Rani, Jamuna Rani, Joytsna Rani, and widow Shanti
Rani said they had taken Taka 8,000 each as interest free loans from the WSG
and invested in different businesses and IGAs to become self-reliant.
Chairman of local Haridebpur union Iqbal Hossain said every family of
Gangadas Baraipara community is earning well and their children are going to
schools following their socio-economic improvement.
“In recognition of her contribution to transformational change in lives of
the backward community, local people elected Bharoti Rani as a female Member
from reserved wards of local Haridebpur union,” Iqbal added.