An Initiative for Better Home4BetterLife

The women of Mathurapur village live below the poverty line and are the victim of natural disasters. Every year, cyclones visit in this area. This is a highly saline area which creates several health issues for women and they could not take some protective measures due to their poverty. It is very difficult for them to conduct perform agricultural activities due to high salinity and disasters. Moreover, they have no land of their own. They use to earn money by harvesting Sundarbans resources; mainly collecting shrimp fry. Even they do not have educational qualification to get a job. They use to lead a miserable life where there is lack of food, drinking water, cloth, nutrition. The women are deprived of the basic human needs. They are grooving in the darkness of poverty.

Initiative: Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) has been trying to improve the life standard of those women by homestead vegetable gardening, duck and ram raring etc. In 2015 BEDS has trained those women on tailoring.

Key result/insight/interesting fact: BEDS has tried to create scope of alternate income generative activities so that the women can lead a better life and come out from the cycle of poverty.BEDS has motivated local women of Mathurapur village to conduct small cottage industry to improve their life standard. BEDS has provided training 30 women of Mathurapur village on cutting cloths and tailoring them.

Impact:

Women are getting order from the villagers and also from some dealers for making bags and mask. Their family income has increased and they gain a respectful position in their family.

Lessons Learned:

I have learned cloth measurement, cutting cloths and making dresses. I learned making different type of dress. I can also repair sewing machine.

Supporting Quotes:

‘‘I live in Mathurapur village. I struggled a lot to earn our livelihood. I risked my life and collect shrimp fry, fuel wood. I had no such respect and position in my family. I had to work hard from dawn to desk. After getting the training of tailoring and sewing machine, my life has been changed. Now I am earning money at my home. I can take proper care of my little children and can also bring food for them. I am contributing to my family expenses. Now my family seeks my decision for any work. I got a respect from not only my family members but also from the villagers. I want to improve my sewing capacity more to become a successful tailor and help my family.’’

Capacity building training and sewing equipments are necessary for the women to improve their life standard. So, BEDS has taken an initiative to empower 50 women of Mathurapur village by developing their skill on sewing and also providing them equipments related to sewing through raising fund from GlobalGiving platform.

So, it’s a heartiest appeal to all the donors for being kind to help those vulnerable women to give them a chance to come out from the cycle of poverty and lead a respectful life.

We are requesting all our donors to start monthly recurring donation. Please click the following link; https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/changing-life-by-empowering-women?show=recurring