By Dr Aynal Haque
RAJSHAHI, Oct 21, 2020 (BSS)- Jahangir Alam, 35, has now become a successful fighter against the adverse impact of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic situation as a result of his income generating activities.
Alam, a resident of Seelampur village in Tanore Upazila of Rajshahi district, has earned around Taka five lakh including a net profit of Taka 70,000 after selling potatoes this year. He had cultivated potatoes on seven bigha of land leased from others and one bigha of own lands.
Whereas he was a day-labourer around seven to eight years back. He had no capability to meet his family needs and struggled to bear the educational expenses of his offspring.
A member of Seelampur Village Development Committee (VDC) of Amar Bari Amar Khamar (ABAK) project, Alam started livestock rearing and agriculture after taking loan of only Taka 5,000 from the project in the first phase in June, 2013.
Subsequently, he expanded his farming activities gradually after taking loans of Tk 8,000, Tk 13,000 and Tk 20,000 in the following second, third and fourth phases respectively. He also paid loan installments timely.
Many other people like Jahangir Alam of the 60-member Selampur VDC are seen coping with the present fallout situation of the pandemic through diversified income generating activities.
The ABAK project as well as its Polly Sonchoy Bank (PSB) has been contributing a lot towards making the less-income group villagers to face the adverse situation through making them self-reliant after inspiring them to various income generating activities.
Chandan Kumar Biswash, district coordinator of ABAK project, told BSS that 1,34,906 members of 2,808 VDCs have learnt how to search for income generating activities and become self reliant through quality investment and best uses of those in the district.
He said loans of Tk 319.47 crore were disbursed among the VDC members and recovered Tk 62.19 crore. Asset volume has reached to 209.48 crore at present. In addition to the formation of a revolving fund worth Taka 69.94 crore provided by the government, government bonus of Taka 48.65 crore has been disbursed in the VDCs level.
Saidur Rahman, 48, a member of Shilpur Juranpur VDC in the same upazila, has opened up a new door of battling any Covid-19 like pandemic situation as he has now 17 sheep, one milking cow and a heifer which are giving him cash money in many ways.
Leaving his mud-like thatched house he moved to a newly brick built tin-shed house a couple of years back. His elder son is a postgraduate student, while the second one is in under-graduate course.
Rabiul Islam, 43, a physically challenged person, of Dighalkandi village under Puthiya Upazila, has become almost self-reliant after availing the financial assistance from his VDC. He is now operating a grocery shop successfully besides rearing some goats in his homestead.
Driving out the long-lasting distressed condition Morzina Begum, 37, of Valukgachhi village under the same upazila, has brought a solvent situation to their family through operating a poultry farm successfully.
She received a loan of Tk 50,000 from her Gotia VDC in the preliminary stage. Her husband, two sons and one daughter always support her to the venture, Begum said while talking to BSS in a smiling face.
After getting loan support Faruque Hossain, 38, of Palopara village has become a successful grocery businessman. He is also contributing a lot to the society through his business.
Chandan Kumar Biswash said the beneficiary members were imparted improved and modern training on various trades including livestock, fisheries, nurseries and horticulture at the initial stage of their membership.
Important portfolios of the committees like president and managers were given training on project management and innovation of income generating activities. Besides, 60 members have been brought under small entrepreneurship training.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sanwar Hossain said utmost importance has been given to proper implementation of the project so that the target group of people can derive its total benefits. ABAK is one of the 10 special initiatives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.
Upazila Chairman Lutfor Haider Rashid said the role of the project is very much important towards capacity development of the members, particularly empowerment of women beneficiaries.
Professor Iliash Hossain of the Department of Economics in Rajshahi University (RU) said the project has become a driving force to the villagers in terms of transforming them into various income generators.
He said the ABAK project has been playing a vital role towards coping with the present pandemic situation through making the less-income group people self-reliant in line with its key objectives.
He added that the project will bring a positive change to the lives of the beneficiaries within the near future despite the pandemic situation.