DHAKA, April 24, 2022 (BSS)- Rokeya Parvin Sumona is a glaring example of how imparting training to women can help reach them a new level of economic empowerment by selling their products.

She witnessed her mother facing many challenges in regard to empowerment. Sumona used to live in Rajshahi city. She learnt from her mother’s struggle for livelihood how women should be enabled to market their products to customers. Training can be used to help women accomplish their aim of becoming self-reliant.

She has changed her life through struggle and also hundred others of the city providing trainings to them.

Sumona said, “I was born in Rajshahi city and grew up here. The city is free from pollution and also free from traffic congestion. I’m providing trainings on different products to women of the city as they can become self-defendant.”

Sumona is imparting trainings to women on jute products. Not only in Rajshahi, she is also providing trainings for increasing skill of women in different areas across the country.

She said the training on jute is aimed at advancingthe women of Rajshahi area as they can build themselves as entrepreneurs in the society and create an identity for them. “I had a wish for a long that I would provide training to the women of Rajshahi city. Many people knew my father late Md Lutful Bari. But no one knew me as her daughter. Later, I opened a training centre in Rajshahi. And now, many women are becoming self-defendant through taking trainings. It is really a matter of pride and happiness for me,” she added.

Sumona said, “I also hear many stories of those women who are taking trainings from my centre about their struggle. Their struggle for livelihood encouraged me. I really enjoy it.”

She said women can laugh even when they are in problems and they always try to keep their families happy. “Now many women are becoming self-dependant and taking the responsibilities of their families. I feel proud of them,” she added.

The name of the training centre is ‘ProtisthanBoichithra’. The organization is gaining popularity among women of all ages of the city and most trainees are students. Many service holder women are also taking trainings from the centre.

Mohatamima Jahan, one of the trainees, said, “I’ve received trainings from the centre on making products from jute. I’m selling the products through a facebook page named ‘BichithraPonnyo’. My investment was only Taka 10,000 when I started my business in 2020. Now my income from selling the products is increasing gradually.”

Micro Industries Development Assistance and Services (MIDAS) is working for empowering women and economic development for them. They are also running their activities in Rajshahi also. The organization has taken different programmes to make the jute products popular among the women of Rajshahi.