KULSUMS

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KULSUMS
A Collection of Success Stories
of the Disadvantaged Women

Chief Editor

Saiful Islam Robin

Editor

Anirudha Alam
Script

Anirudha Alam, Lubna Yasmeen

Towhidul Alam Chowdhury
Nipun Alam, Selin Yasmin

Bangladesh Extension Education Services

House 183, Eastern Road, Lane 2, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1206

KULSUMS (A Collection of Success Stories of Disadvantaged Women)

Chief Editor: Saiful Islam Robin Edited by Anirudha Alam Published by
Information & Development Communication Cell, BEES (Bangladesh
Extension Education Services), House 183, Eastern Road, Lane 2, New DOHS,
Mohakhali,
Dhaka-1206,
Bangladesh,
E-mail:
bees@citechco.net,
bees@worldnetbd.net, Website: http://www.bees-bd.org Printed by Graphic
Point, 27/11/3-A, Topkhana Road, Purana Paltan, Dhaka-1000 First
Published: February 2004, Falgun 1410 Cover Design & Graphics:
Anirudha Alam

Price 100 Taka, US $ 5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or translated in any
form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

To the Kulsums,
the women of Bangladesh,
who are mostly disadvantaged &
deprived of all kinds of human rights
as well as the mainstream beneficiaries of BEES Samities,
whom we have dedicated ourselves to entitle to empowerment

CONTENTS
Foreword 09
Preface 13
Arati is after a Far-reaching Ambition 19
Fatema, the Name of a Success 24
Sakina Emerges as an Epitome of Emancipation 28
Moyzan Bibi Makes Her Life Meaningful 32
Helena Climbs up the Stairs of Establishment 36
An Example of Self-reliance 39
Leading the Luckless Lot 45
No More Exploitation 49
Maksuda, the Dream Merchant 52
The Secrets of Success 56
The Rise of Rasheda Begum 60
Gifted with a New-found Hope 64
Graced with a Higher Insight 68
Anita Exceeds Her Unbearable Affliction 72
A Weapon Against Poverty 76
BEES- a Friend in Need 79
Being Productive is a Blessing 83
Healing the Woes with a Great Success 88
Jyotsna, a True Entrepreneur 95
Honest Efforts Can Bring Happiness 100
Farida Finds a Better Meaning of Life 103
Rina Leading Ahead of the Darkest Despair 108
Hasina, the Hardy Woman 112

FOREWORD
BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services) has been
conducting the poverty alleviation program for pioneering the
development work all over the country. BEES first set to work
in 1975 with splendid confidence to empower the
disadvantaged people especially women of the society through
taking up socio-econo-cultural development program, leading
towards self-reliance.
Now BEES is well equipped with all kinds of eclectic endeavor
to be dedicated and more committed on a great scale to the
community by way of implementing such poverty alleviation
programs in field level as Micro-credit, Micro-enterprise
Development, Women Empowerment, Agriculture and Social
Forestry, giving special emphasis on Agriculture
Diversification and Intensification, Smallholder Agriculture
Improvement, Poultry and Livestock as well as Education
Program. In addition Community-Based Health Project
incorporating Maternal & Child Health and Family Planning,
Nutrition Initiative Program, Urban Poor Development
Program and so on have embellished and sustained the
mainstream of poverty alleviation program in down-to-earth
method.

Over 28 years beside the poor BEES has been successful to

engender the prosperous future and bring off promising change
in the distressed destinies of many disadvantaged men and
women. Accumulating from the first-hand experience of a total
upliftment at individual level of numerous disadvantaged
community people, we have aspired recently to publish a book
on case study, which encompasses mostly the success- stories
of those disadvantaged people who had even no ways and
means to survive. We have selected the stories of only the
women as the theme of the book entitled Kulsums. Worse luck,
women are deprived of all kinds of human rights in the
perspective of our country as the whole. But women form 50%
of our population and it is not possible to materialize a
sustainable development of the country without the overall
development and empowerment of women.
In the sphere of family oriented empowerment, social and
political empowerment, nowadays women have no right to
pursue their career or establish their status as a human being. It
is true that womens life-style of a country represents the real
reflection of the development of a country, specially the
developing country like ours. Thinking over these aspects we
have decided that the collection of the selected success stories
of the underprivileged people should be brought out
highlighting womens contribution and participation in social,
spiritual, political and economical amelioration. Here
noteworthy 23 success stories of former impoverished but
presently established and diligent women have been embodied.
They were inspired, motivated and attracted by the poverty
alleviation program executed by the micro-credit plus program
of BEES for the sake of their flourishing future.

10

In the view of this documentation by means of compiling

significant and outstanding success stories of the deprived
women to be empowered, we hope that the book Kulsums will
be appreciated by the readers for our flowered endeavors and
initiatives derived from Micro-credit Plus Program.
Im very grateful to them who have teamed up and helped to
publish this book collecting data in field level and encouraging
in various ways as well as writing the touching and authentic
case studies based on the collected information and extending
their dedicated and untiring efforts to make this publication a
success.
Our initiative will be of success if this book can contribute in
kindling the spirit of women-empowerment among the
potential implementers and policy-makers throwing an
enabling light on millions of deprived women of the country.

Saiful Islam Robin

Executive Director
BEES

February 12, 2004

11

12

PREFACE
They have miles to go
Kulsums is mostly a collection of success stories of the
disadvantaged, humiliated and deprived women who are the
mainstream beneficiaries of BEES Samities (village
organization). On behalf of the most dispossessed people by
severe poverty, Kulsum is a name who represents the common
woman with involvement to constitute a great portion of our
society in the perspective of Bangladesh. They are
disadvantaged, because they have no opportunity to be
conscious of removing poverty along with the lack of income
generating activities. They are humiliated by their more
dominating husbands and influential persons of their society.
Moreover the Kulsums are deprived of all kinds of human
rights due to their vexed fate emanated from their illiteracy,
ignorance, beliefs in superstitions and religious dogmas,
laziness, dependency on so-called fortune and so on. All of
them have had to experience the common problems such as
being humiliated and oppressed. Precisely, there has been
undiversified dimension in their life style. The background of
their previous life relating to struggle with drastic reality, more
or less, is all the same. Evaluating these characteristics of their
life-style they are all incorporated in a common group. So the

13

various aspects of their cursed previous life-background have

not been cited in details in every success-story.
Adhering to the prime emphasis on women empowerment
BEES has been concocting the remedies for combating the
social narrowness and salving the wounds of our socioeconomic condition hypothetically as a whole. The grim reality
is that the prevailing male hegemony in our country makes
women prolong their dependence on men. So with the zeal to
expedite the development from grassroots level BEES initiated
micro-credit plus program for empowering women through
bringing stability in their income flow. By way of lavishing
micro-financial assistance BEES tries to make women
empowered that they may surmount the contemporary
limitations on the society. Activating its micro-finance services
by means of group formation, regular courtyard-session,
respective training and orientation, motivation-class, BEES
stimulates their ardor for economic and social emancipation.
Only economical assistance can not give the Kulsums more
mastery on their lives. Thinking over this moot point BEES is
orchestrating the demand-driven programs pragmatically under
the title of Credit Plus. The Credit Plus Program of BEES not
only ensures the credit facilities but also provides training for
skill-development, serving-package to make them aware of
healthcare and nutrition, materials and other inputs needed for
productive employment generation, educational facilities to get
rid of illiteracy and ignorance by way of Human Resource
Development (HRD) and Occupational Skills Development
(OSD).
Capitalizing on the purpose of improving family well being by
virtue of Kulsums access to credit plus program BEES has

14

been competent to help them materialize their equal

entitlements to resources and equal opportunities to developing
the quality of life. BEES is on the look-out to work with the
instruments of indigence alleviation to engender authentic
blessing to the poverty stricken people. Side by side its credit
and savings program is going on with the comprehensive
aspirations- first to make micro-finance services obtainable to
the Kulsums who do not get any credit facility, guide and if
necessary train them in line with proper utilization of the
credit, and at last to spur their inner beings to commit savings.
In the course of ensuring micro-finance assistance BEES first
steeps to conduct personal contacts in the respective
community among the target group and brings off group
discussions according to the findings of informal previous
survey-report. The group discussions in the process of group
formation and the weekly sessions of the groups have been
being conducted by arranging Uthan Baithak( Courtyard
Meeting). The Courtyard Meetings are like mini parliament
where the participants participate spontaneously and give their
opinion and at the same time become enriched with relevant
knowledge, know-how, proper directions and so on. The
trickle-down benefits of development are being engrossed with
relation to BEES Samities at the root level enhancing selfreliance efforts of more than 1 lac people. Up to December
2003, BEES has disbursed more than TK.100 crore
(cumulative) to more than 50 thousand beneficiaries
(household women) in the field level of assorted performingareas through micro-credit program. The auspicious recovery
rate of its loan is 99%. The savings balance of the syndicate
members i.e. members of BEES Samities as on December 2003
has been Tk. 10 crore. Implementing the economical assistance
oriented plan of action it has inaugurated more than 1600 self-

15

employment oriented new jobs per year in its working areas

over last 7 years side by side leading other income generating
programs guided by research, impact assessment and casestudies.
The consequence of current case-studies is this publication
entitled Kulsums on most success stories. In the case-studies
various aspects of success stories have been pointed out such as
difference between previous income and present income,
perspectives and rate of current expenditure, assessment of
average savings, comparison between previous life-status and
current life-status, dimensions of income-generating activities,
promotion of perceptions to be self-reliant, potential graduation
due to social and economical empowerment, total achievement
in the light of desired goal and far-seeing initiatives,
amelioration of consciousness related to education,
reproductive health, gender-equity, environment, nutrition,
healthcare, spick and span, women-rights and so on.
To bring off a significant and aesthetic collection of success
stories of the Kulsums we have conducted the research through
some conducive initiatives. At first we prepared a check-list to
guide the research-work. According to the point of view of the
check-list the research assistants, the respective regional field
workers, were instructed briefly regarding the applicable
effective method of performing data collection followed by the
prescribed indicators. In the beginning of the process of
collecting data on success stories we have had to make a list of
names of real and recognized beneficiaries of BEES who are
pragmatically benefited from BEES and well-established at
present. Bringing out the compilation of the confessions of the
identical Kulsums, the stories of the most destitute and helpless
women, the Information and Development Communication

16

Cell would like to illustrate a vivid outline of desired success

and achievement of BEES-micro credit program to be further
evaluated and guided by any kind of creative opinion, review,
advice as well as kindling conception. We believe that the
findings derived from the case-studies would be helpful to the
researchers, social workers, sociologists and so on to be
familiar with the common plight along with the aspirations to
help make self-reliant the neglected and deprived women of
Bangladesh. As the famous poet Robert Frost saysBut I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep...
The Kulsums of this book have intended to go ahead like
Robert Frost as well. They are very much diligent, tireless and
always engaged to fight against any kind of poverty and
ignorance to attain the high-water mark of success.
Our field workers and many of the colleagues have pitched in
to publish this book providing valuable information, profound
ideas and grave opinions. We are, indeed, grateful to them
extensively and thanking for their great contribution. The
endeavors of publishing this book will be successful even a
little if somebody might be benefited from this book in any
way.

February 12, 2004

Anirudha Alam
Assistant Director
Information and
Development Communication Cell
BEES

17

18

Arati is after a Far-reaching

Ambition
From my salad days I was always keen on making me
acceptable to others around me, though due to severe poverty
of my family I was neglected by the neighbors purposely. So
when I got the chance to join the BEES program I dreamt that I
had to materialize my desired inclination through its poverty
alleviation program. It was really hurting for me that there
were times when my neighbors did not want to lend me only
ten taka. Now they do not hesitate to loan me even ten
thousand taka. To my utmost satisfaction, I have achieved this
through social empowerment.

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My name is Arati. When I was 16 years old I was wedded off

by my elder brother without caring for my opinion. My
husband was a carpenter. After my marriage I came to know
that I was not his first wife. I was very much outraged mentally
hearing this shocking news. So I decided that I would not stay
in my husbands house any longer. Since then I am staying in
my elder brothers family. Now I am 45.
When I remember the woeful days my cheeks are flooded with
tears. In that cursed period we had to go without food almost
every day. BEES first stimulated my hidden potentials to bring
change in my distressed fate, by becoming a group member.
We had a tiny restaurant at the footpath in the peri-urban areas
of Sreepur under the district of Gazipur operated by the family
members. The income from the restaurant was not so well to
fulfill the demand of food everyday. It was necessary to invest
more money in the restaurant in order to increase the earning.
But how would the additional money be managed? When I was
thinking over this great problem a group-leader of BEES
advised me that I could extend the restaurant-trade by taking a
loan from BEES if I became a group member. Hearing this
optimistic word I was electrified with a spark of hope instantly.
Then I was enrolled in BEES Samiti. At first the Samiti loaned
three thousand taka to me under the Micro-credit Program of
BEES in August 1998 which I invested in my restaurant. My
restaurant trade oriented enterprise was going on in full swing
by means of diligent endeavor and tireless perseverance. After
paying back the money in installment next year I took fivethousand taka loan for the same purpose. The motivation of
BEES has capacitated me thinking and proving that women
should be empowered for the sake of a better future. The most
important point is that, somehow women have to be aware in

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order to be not only good mothers but also prove themselves

effective and as best human resources.
Although from long ago I was very much fascinated by BEES
activities, especially by the poverty alleviation program, but I
would not dare to become a part of BEES-program. Because I
had some misconceptions about it too. One day I was
observing weekly sessions of BEES at a courtyard close to my
house from a distance with profound eagerness. The groupleader marked me and asked me to come to her. Then I
disclosed to her my distressed condition. Hearing the details of
the painful events in my life she suggested me to be enrolled in
BEES in order to be provided with reasonable loan and
subsequently become empowered economically, socially,
politically and culturally availing BEES seba package.
As the saying goes, man is the architect of his own fortune.
Strong confidence and far-reaching initiatives can groom up
the potentials more efficient and edified. So to upgrade myself
with success in life I intended that I would have to continue
gathering courage to combat the misfortune of poverty. In
course of time with more loans from BEES I have built my
house and promoted the restaurant-trade respectively. Now I
am not dependent any more. I have not to ask any one for
assistance as a compassionate charity. Lastly I took twelve
thousand taka loan for a new initiative, i.e. goldsmith-trade.
Thus my desired goal has begun to be successful. As a reward
of my sustainable endurance and assiduity now I am the proud
owner of a restaurant, a house and a goldsmith-trade center.
Now my monthly income is about Tk. 7,000. After meeting the
family expenses I can save Tk. 1,500-2,000 per month, which
is a great achievement for me.

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The whole enterprise has helped me to make a total change in

my lifestyle. As I had been humiliated by my husband in the
past, now I feel that I have to go ahead by any means to make
sure sign of success standing upon my own feet. I had no
importance in my family and society before being member of
BEES group. I was deprived of taking part in communityactivities and giving opinion or advice in social context. Now
without my opinion no major decision is approved in the
family. Many of the neighbors come to me to take advice on
various purposes. BEES gives me not only economical support
but also assistance through education-health-nutrition-rights
oriented outreach program. Various support services of BEES
like the adult education program, door to door general
healthcare services and satellite clinic guided by a doctor,
training support for reducing malnutrition through homestead
gardening, distributing high yielding variety crop seeds and
saplings, etc. have really helped me especially to be
empowered with knowledge, attitude and practice for overall
development. After leaving my husbands house I was very
much helpless. BEES has guided me to break the spell of
helplessness as a great emancipator.
Apart from enriching me with the practical knowledge and
know-how, BEES has developed me spiritually and
aesthetically. Now I can decisively initiate certain social
responsibilities such as resisting early marriage, campaigning
against dowry system, inspiring to be aware of environment,
conducting sessions for gender development, influencing
others overcoming superstitions and religious dogmas and so
on, not to mention my own orientation and awareness on these
issues. Participation in the weekly group meetings has enriched
me towards this direction by means of detailed participatory
discussions on these issues.

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My future plan is that I would branch out into some projects

like poultry farm, dairy farm etc. Now I have employed four
staff at my restaurant and two staff at my goldsmiths shop. It
gives me immense satisfaction that my business has expanded
and I have become capable of income generation. I owe a lot to
BEES for enabling me to stretch out my ambition while I
didnt even know the true meaning of ambition. From my
drowning condition, BEES has pulled me out on firm ground
and taught me how to tread confidently.
BEES has made me ever grateful to it. I will never be able to
repay the debt of BEES as a whole.

23

Fatema, the Name

of a Success
I wanted to die, but the faces of my daughters came in front of
my eyes. What will happen to them? Wholl look after them? I
resisted myself. I thought that I have to live for my daughters
or they will be in the same position like me, in this way
Fatema started to tell her story. It is not a fiction. It is the
reality Fatema had to go through four years back.

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Fatema Begum, age 35, lives in village South Billalpur of

Joydebpur upazila of Gazipur district. She was married to
Mohammad Selim, whose family was equally poor like
Fatemas. He was the only earning member in the family and
his income was not regular. He was apathetic. Always he used
to scold her in front of other people and one day he divorced
her. I went out holding the hands of my two daughters. My
parents were also very poor. It was not possible for them to
feed extra three mouths. So I took only shelter there. No one
came forward to help me. One day I noticed that, some women
gathered at our neighbors house. And a lady was advising
them. I went forward and enquired about their activities. The
group leader of the Samiti, Sajeda Apa helped me to
understand the services of BEES. I felt encouraged and wanted
to take loan. But the Field Officer Sir asked me what I would
do with the money. I kept silent. Then he asked me about my
knack. I spontaneously replied that I knew sewing. He advised
me to buy a sewing machine. Im ever grateful to him for his
kind suggestion.
At the first phase Fatema Begum took loan of Tk. 4,000 with
which she bought a sewing machine and started her business.
The income was not bad. Avoiding unnecessary expenses, she
saved some money. Then she decided to establish a nursery
business. For that she took necessary training on nursery from
BEES. From sewing and nursery business her monthly income
began to increase. At the same time her life style also improved
a lot. Next year she took another loan of TK. 11,000 to expand
her nursery project. After knowing about sanitation system she
received loan for sanitation. She has been involved with BEES
group for the last four years and within this period she received
four times loan from BEES of TK. 37,000. In the mean time
she also repaid TK. 14,200 of her total loan.

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Before her involvement in BEES group, she had no income

because she was divorced by her husband. But now by sewing
and from her nursery business she earns about TK. 4,000 per
month. After maintaining her family, she is also saving a small
amount.
Fatema Begum has two daughters. Her eldest daughter Afroza
Akter is 15 and she is a student of class nine. Her second
daughter Selina is 7 years old, who is in class one. Now Fatema
is very much conscious about her daughters future. She wants
to give them proper education, so that they can be selfdependent.
When she was divorced many people rebuked her and no one
helped her with a single penny. But now, she has her own
business. She is able to maintain her own family. I was in
darkness, as if I were in a vast sea along with my daughters. If
BEES didnt help me by giving loan and proper advice, we
would have died of hunger, she says with eyes full of tears.
It is her determination and self-confidence which helped her to
become financially solvent. She adds, I realized that without
hard labor I couldnt be successful. Now many of my
neighbors are following my path. They also take loan and
advice from BEES and are trying to change their fate. They are
trying to contribute in the family. Moreover, now we are also
well aware of primary health care, nutrition, environment,
sanitation and hygiene. We, the village women know about
gender issue. We can now stand on the firm ground where no
one would dare to push us aside towards a subordinate position
either in the family or in the society. While I was about to
perish earlier, now I have become capable of protesting social
injustice like dowry system, early marriage etc. Now I can also

26

cast my vote. Previously I had to endure utter humiliation and

rather the pitiless attitude of the society towards me as no one
considered me important, would not loan me lest I could not
repay, talked ill of me as I could not stay with my husband,
rebuked me on many instances and so on. But now, I have
earned a respectable position in the society while my opinion is
considered with due importance. And all credit goes to BEES.
They are always beside us to give necessary advice for
different issues.
Fatema Begum is thus economically and socially secured. She
is spiritually empowered. She is a proud mother of two
daughters, whose main mission is to give them higher
education. She always tries to encourage destitute ladies not to
be demoralized. She feels that women should work and earn
for their own safety. And this is the only way how a woman
can establish her position in the family and in the society.

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Sakina Emerges as an Epitome

of Emancipation
Theyll convert you into a Christian, this is what Sakinas
neighbors used to tell her, as she became a group member of
BEES. But with time many of them followed the same path she
did. Now whats the secret behind this total change of attitude?
Sakina herself goes on, I was the second among four brothers
and four sisters. My parents were illiterate and we were not
allowed to go out to study. My father had very little arable land
and our days were full of struggle with poverty. I was married
off at the age of twelve to thirteen to Md. Bazlur Rahman of

28

Sherpur upazila under Bogra district. My husbands was an

equally poor family and he was the only earning member in the
family, what was worse that he was a drug addict. I tried my
utmost to cure him but all in vain. He would mix up with other
spoiled youths of the neighborhood and pass his time indulging
in useless pursuits. As his income was irregular we could never
cross the poverty line. Life was very much miserable.
It was the brave venture of Sakina her involvement with
BEES group activities, despite her neighbors prejudiced
predictions that marked Sakinas change of fate. While she
received relief from BEES as a destitute woman earlier, after
being enlisted in BEES group, Sakina dreamt of becoming an
entrepreneur herself. The motivation of BEES and the proper
guidance played a significant role in case of Sakinas
involvement in group activities as well as taking up income
generating activities. She received a loan of Tk. 5,000 from the
Field Organizer of BEES Md. Faridul Islam. Following his
advice Sakina bought two cows, her first investment into
productive pursuit. Paying off the loan on installment basis she
had an increased income enabling her to multiply two cows
into four and the four cows into eight. She sold four cows and
bought three bighas (99 decimal) of land. Now Sakina has
four cows, four goats, four bighas of land and five bee-hives.
Devoting herself to make profit from her assets Sakina has
been making headway in life. Everyday her husband sells their
cows milk at the local market for Taka 100-120. Every week
they are selling honey from their bee-hives for Tk. 500 600.
The cropping land is yielding food for the family and also
bringing some money.
At the end of the year Sakinas net profit is about Tk. 8,000
from her cattle, goats, cows, beehives and arable land. Her

29

husband who used to be a day laborer, no more has to sell

labor. He has joined his hands with Sakina and mainly looks
after their agricultural land. The scope of work and prosperity
has changed this man. Sakinas perseverance has succeeded at
last. Previously he would not consider Sakina an important
person and always dominate her. Sakinas voice was not heard
in the family. Sakinas independence, her realization of life, her
disposition have earned her a status in the family and also in
the society. I believed that my heaven was underneath my
husbands feet. I did not dare to go against him though it was
my meek requests and persuasions I would apply to change
him. I would often tolerate his tortures. But I am no more that
meek and helpless woman. I have been capacitated through
BEES support, Sakina states, Sakina has earned different
training, orientations and basic awareness on many issues from
BEES. Besides receiving training on homestead gardening,
forestation, cattle rearing, sewing etc. and basic awareness on
some important issues, Sakina also has been trained as
Traditional Birth Attendant. Sakina believes her training as
Traditional Birth Attendant is one of the most important
achievements she has made. Using my knowledge and
expertise achieved from BEES training courses I have been
cultivating vegetables in my kitchen garden, rearing cattle and
poultry scientifically, sewing nakshi kantha, etc. As a Trained
Birth Attendant I have very often been called in the community
and it has earned me fame as an expert and dependable hand,
says the proud and self-reliant Sakina Begum. Sakina has
received basic literacy from BEES adult literacy program. She
has also received basic knowledge on gender, health, hygiene,
safe water, sanitation, nutrition, environment etc.
The sufferings Sakina had to go through in her early days, she
does not want her sons to go through the same again. She has

30

dedicated herself to educate her sons. She says I have sent my

sons to school with my little earning from sewing at the
beginning. With the increased income it was not a problem at
all to bear the educational expenses of my sons. I am happy
that my sons are like me, not like their fathers, to be precise,
not like the mean person he happened to be. My eldest son has
passed S.S.C., second son has completed H.S.C and my
youngest son is a student of HSC level. A happy and content
mother of three sons, Sakina plans to wed her eldest son who is
28 now. Dreaming of a more prosperous future Sakina wishes
to buy more land, expand her bee-hives and other pursuits.
Sakinas development has worked to hammer the minds of her
sarcastic neighbors. Many of the neighboring women would
like to take advice from Sakina. A number of them have
become group members of BEES. The sarcasm, the prejudice
of the villagers have been transformed into administration,
respect and pursuing the same path. Sakina emerges as a
trendsetter, an epitome of emancipation in her locality.

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Moyzan Bibi Makes Her Life

Meaningful
Our days income was only Tk.50. After the hard labor I and
my husband could by no way earn more than that. Naturally we
even had to starve at times and a scanty meal or two were what
had to be considered enough for the family, Mst. Moyzan
Bibi, age 40, from Nijmaona village of Sreepur upazila under
Gazipur district recalls her fretful days gone by. Mst. Moyzan
alongwith her husband Md. Nurul Islam used to work at other
peoples house in the village. With no education and burdened
with the pangs of poverty, Moyzans woes were endless. They
were virtually living from hand to mouth.

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But now life has a new turn for Moyzan. Her days have
brightened up and she has come out of those nightmarish
struggles. The turning point of her life has been marked by her
involvement with BEES. Back in 1998 Mst. Moyzan Bibi was
introduced with a BEES worker on the way adjacent to her
home. She explained to her the BEES poverty eradication
initiatives in detail. When moyzan came to know about BEES
and its micro credit program, she became very much impressed
and interested to become a part of it for an overall upliftment of
life.
I found a new ray of hope in the midst of utter despair. I
discussed with my husband and we decided to lease some lands
taking loan from BEES. The easy-interest loan of BEES
seemed quite convenient in comparison to the high-interest
ones available at the village level from the money lenders.
Whereas the monthly interest for Tk.1000 at the village was
Tk.100, from BEES we could avail Tk.1000 for a yearly
interest of Tk.150. It seemed to be a very good opportunity for
us to turn the wheel of our luck. Therefore I became a group
member of BEES and got my first loan of Tk.3000 yielding me
sure success through leasing of land, Moyzan Bibi goes
through her period of transition. The first loan was the seed of
success. Then through the successive years Moyzan and her
husband devoted all their efforts and perseverance to bring
them good luck. After leasing of land it was a clothes shop and
till now the shop is bringing them good profit. On and off they
have been leasing land and the bigger the amount of loan, the
larger the venture and naturally its the period of climbing up
the steps upward leaving behind the days of utter poverty.

33

Moyzans life standard has risen up considerably. They can

now take nutritious food, wear decent clothes. The days of
starvation seems to be some bygone nightmare. Moyzan is
sending her eldest daughter to school and hopes to send her
two other children, a boy and a girl to school too when they
reach their age. While it was almost a life of non entity in the
society before, now they have gained social respect and a voice
that counts. Their participation in any social program has
become imperative. Now I know the good from the bad. The
discussion sessions each week have enlightened me with
various basic knowledge. Now I know that there is no
difference between men and women. We are all human beings.
Its our duty to live a better life by maintaining cleanliness,
sanitation, hygiene, nutritious food intake, environmental
conservation, plantation etc., says a more enlightened
Moyzan.
When I first started BEES activities, my neighbors would
talk ill of me, predicting that it would defame me for my
involvement with male staff of BEES, who are outsiders. They
hinted that having any kind of association with outsider male
persons severely hamper a womans virtue and integrity. But
with time their eyes opened and they found that instead of
defamation I was benefited. My association with BEES was
meant for uplifting me, not for any vile purpose or defaming
me. Now, they come to me for my advice on different issues.
My financial emancipation as well as my knowledge and my
better way of living have impressed them. Although my
husband considered me important earlier, but now my
importance in the family has increased much further. I make
many decisions in the family, Moyzan Bibi adds.

34

Moyzans empowerment has been possible through her will

power and hard labor as well as the extended support from
BEES. She believes that such supports can emancipate the poor
and backwards people like her. She smiles a happy and
confident smile and hopes that this smile will be multiplied in a
near future among the poor people of the country if they get
opportunity, she has been fortunate to avail.

35

Helena Climbs up the Stairs of

Establishment
Now he cares for me. He consults with me before taking any
decision. But situations were not like this. I had no voice in my
family, this is the way Helena recalls her past, smilingly.
Mst. Helena Begum, age 35, inhabitant of Gilarchala village of
Gazipur district was a poor lady eight years ago. Her husband
earned a little by selling vegetables. Their monthly income was
only Tk. 1,500. They were hopeless about their future because
poverty was their regular guest.
Helena goes on, One day I met an official of BEES. He
informed me about their services. I spent few sleepless nights,

36

thinking what to do. I was in dilemma, whether I should tell it

to my husband or not! I discussed it with some of my neighbors
but they couldnt give me any suggestion. Then I talked to my
husband. He encouraged me. He said that if I could manage
some loan, he could start a grocery shop. That was the
beginning for Helena Begum. She got involved with BEES. At
first she received a loan of Tk. 3,000 with which her husband
started a business of raw materials. Next year she received Tk.
4,000 as credit from BEES and bought a cow by Tk.6,000. She
added Tk. 2,000 from her savings. In this way every year she
took loan from BEES, expanded her husbands business and
bought more cows and began to rear them. She got financial
help unto Tk. 22,000 from BEES. She already sold five cows
worth Tk. 40,000. Now she possesses six cows. Helena says,
Now I have my own income. Im helping my husband to run
the family. Im cultivating vegetables in front of my house,
rearing cattle and poultry and selling them to market. Being
attached with BEES for eight years, the scenario has
completely changed. Helenas family has become well-known
in the village. Her husband is also doing well in his business.
Now he possesses a large grocery shop. Now their yearly
income is nearly about one lac.
In my early life I had to go through a lot of sufferings, so I
dont want my children to go through the same. Im determined
to educate them properly. My daughter Nazma Akter is a
student of class six and my son Al Amin is in class three,
Helena states. Now Helena is the name of a successful lady in
her village. It is her perseverance, self-confidence, patience and
hard labor, with which she earned this success. Eight years
ago, nobody considered me important, not even my husband.
But now Im enjoying equal right in the family. My neighbors

37

also often come to me for different types of suggestions. I feel

secured financially and socially, she says.
She also informs that BEES activities are really praiseworthy
because they are giving advice on health, hygiene, sanitation
and nutrition etc. She says, It is BEES which helped us to
know about hygiene practices i.e. hand washing with ash or
soap after defecation, use of sandal during defecation, washing
hands before meal. BEES also let us know about equal right of
men and women, voting rights of women etc.
Helena Begum informs her future plan. She wants to extend
her live-stock project. She often gives advice to her neighbors,
Take help from BEES. They will give you financial support
and advice. If you are determined and hardworking, success
will knock at your door.

38

An Example of Self-reliance
A person is an architect of his own destiny. Mst. Fazila
Begum from Chakbhola Kha village of Shibganj upazila under
Bogra district believes it from the deep of her heart. Now she is
highly trained, economically solvent and empowered in her
own family as well as in the society that have made her an
outstanding model to be followed by other distressed women
who have even little positive dream upon their lives to get rid
of severe poverty. But some help is needed to foster ones
dream to make into success. Fazila Begum has materialized her
desire into practice with the help of BEES poverty alleviation

39

program and her foresight and perseverance to develop her

family from pragmatic perspectives.
Being a member of a poor family, Fazila Begum experienced
the dark hand of poverty from her very childhood. Her father
was a petty farmer and found it very difficult to maintain a
large family containing eight members. Her father arranged her
marriage when she was only fourteen with a stranger without
her consent thinking that it would lower his financial burden.
Her fathers desire proved to be ineffective because his son-inlaw was an idle person and disliked working. So they had to
live in her parents house. Then the time was very miserable
for her. Her husband was not in a position to manage even food
for her. As a young woman, she could not satisfy her own
demand, not even a good shari. She had to restrain herself from
all types of amusement. In the meantime, she gave birth to a
son that aggravated the situation very badly. Her family fell
into a sea of miserable distress. That was the time she felt the
necessity to join the BEES program to decorate her inner desire
in the way of achieving outstanding success. Now she is at the
age of thirty-eight. At present she believes herself as a
successful entrepreneur and she unhesitantly confesses that
BEES is the organization that encouraged her to be self-reliant
and helped to materialize it in practice.
From the very beginning, she had no property except eight
poultry. They had to live from hand to mouth. Later on her
father gave her ten decimals of land and advised to make her
life meaningful on the basis of this piece of land. This piece of

40

land brought her additional thinking because she had no money

to cultivate it. She sought advice from her cousin, Amina, who
described her how she was benefited taking loan from BEES
and also advised her to be enrolled with BEES for getting a
loan. Hearing this, Fazila felt an inner sprit that gave rise to a
new desire to glorify her life. She promptly took decision to be
enrolled in BEES Samiti as she heard about several examples
of BEES successful members. She along with her cousin went
to Kamrun Apa, who with the consent of all the members of
the Samiti arranged all the means to make her member. The
members in the BEES Samiti listened to her painful story and
assured her of all kinds of help. At first, she received a loan
amounting to five hundred taka in 1995 from the Samiti for the
purpose of cultivation. She successfully utilized the money in
potato and paddy cultivation and gained a lot. After paying
back the money, she took loan for second time and bought a
sewing machine. This brought a radical change in her life.
Then she could earn enough money to bear the educational
expenses of her son and to manage the other family demands.
At this stage, fortune forwarded its good hand to her. In 1997,
she received a loan of two thousand taka worth to purchase a
cow. She took loan for three times in order to purchase cow
which led her to take the profession of livestock rearing. She
also took loan in 1998 and 2001 for purchasing a van and one
bigha of land respectively. From 1995 to 2002, she took loan
for eight times and each time she tried to procure a new
property. She successfully paid back the entire loan in
installment. Now she is the owner of four cows, one bighaand
ten decimals of land, a sewing machine etc. She achieved the

41

property with her uninterrupted perseverance and mental

strength.
When you have nothing in your life, what drives you ahead?
Dreams, hopes, aspirations etc. Thats what gave Fazila the
sprit to thrive ahead with the support and advice of BEES. Her
son completed Diploma in Agriculture and her daughter is
continuing her study in a Polytechnic Institute with the loan
from BEES. Her son is now engaged in teaching profession
and contributes a lot for her family. Nowadays, her monthly
income is near to six thousand taka which is four thousand taka
more compared to her previous income before joining the
BEES.
Now she leads a standard life. Her monthly expenditure has
exceeded from fifteen hundred and seventy five taka to forty
five hundred taka and now she can spend more on health care,
education and for other household activities. In the sphere of
education, health care, clothing and other household affair she
spends one thousand, one hundred, five hundred and twenty
three hundred respectively as well as saves two thousand taka
per month.
Nowadays, she doesnt believe in the traditional saying Be it
today or tomorrow, well have to get our daughter married, so
why not now. She gives much emphasis on emancipation of
women economically, socially and culturally. All these
ideological revolution happened into her mind through the
training and orientation program in BEES Samiti. She believes
that women are not any more the animals to be kept within the

42

four walls. They have the role in social development being

efficient human resources of the country. BEES provides not
only financial support through its credit program but also
creates an atmosphere where every member is aware of health,
nutrition, rights etc. BEES with its highly qualified
professionals provided me training on sewing, poultry and
livestock rearing, handicraft, vegetable cultivation, says Fazila
Begum. She also expresses her gratitude to BEES for its
support services like promoting adult education, distributing
high yielding variety crop seed and saplings, encouraging
gardening and tree plantation, promoting health care services,
ensuring consciousness about the importance of education,
cleanliness, rights and duties in the society. She has achieved
all these knowledge through participating in the weekly
sessions in BEES Samiti. Co-operative behavior of the teachers
and Apas in the Samiti followed her path to reach at the present
position.
In our society, women are given little scope for dreaming of a
better future. Even under these circumstances, if any woman
dares to dream of a better life, she has to fight against several
obstacles in the society. Mst. Fazila Begum is the best example
of gathering courage. She encourages her daughter and
neighbors to be revolutionary. She believes that the conceptfreedom is not ascribable, it is achievement oriented. For this,
women should be diligent and hard working. She no more
believes in superstition, early marriage, dowry system etc. She
encourages women through campaigning modernized vision
and believes that there is no difference between man and

43

woman and both have equal right. She promotes consciousness

among the villagers about tree plantation, cleanliness and about
the basic rights of women.
With the grace of BEES, now she is empowered in her family
as well as in the society. Before joining the BEES Samiti, she
used to be oppressed in her family. Her thinking was not
valued by her husband and she was beaten for several times
even for a silly mistake. Then she deemed herself as a valueless
beast in the society. But now, with her perseverance and great
endeavor, she enjoys a pleasing atmosphere both in the family
and society where everyone respects her, gives value to her
decisions. People try to follow her advice and she can
contribute something for the well being of the society.
The story is at the end point. But the experience that Fazila
Begum has achieved will never end. She is looking forward to
welcoming further achievement in her life remaining involved
with the poverty alleviation program of BEES.

44

Leading the Luckless Lot

The impressive self-confidence, reflected in her whole
appearance makes Anwara Begum from Potka village of
Sreepur upazila under Gazipur district distinguished from
others. Anwara Begum, at her early 40's, is very much sure of
herself. The way she maintains an air of enlightened integrity is
outstanding. Anwara Begum, the group leader of Potka Kona
Mohila Samiti, Sreepur, Gazipur now stands as an example of
success through entrepreneurship. Her endeavor and proper
planning during the past seven years have brought her the fruit
of success while BEES' assistance has been the nourisher of

45

her efforts. Anwara Begum says, I have become the now

confident and successful person through my involvement with
BEES. Although my life was not below the poverty line before,
but we had needs. Due to constraint of capital it was not
possible to take up profitable pursuits, which I desperately
wanted to. I know that village usurers give loan to people. But
the high interest robs people of their belongings leaving them
utterly ruined. I have witnessed some people to become so
much undone as to become robbed of their last belongings,
even ending up becoming ousted from their homestead. I was
not to follow this terrible instance. I was on the look-out for
capital support. Meantime, I got introduced to BEES and
observed their development activities. I knew that this was the
perfect place for me to be in. Therefore with the advice,
motivation and effective support from the BEES Extension
Worker I organized a number of neighboring women and
formed the group of BEES Potkakona Mohila Samiti. From
then onwards there was no looking back. Because I have been
receiving the all out support from BEES to uplift myself
culturally and spiritually.
Anwara Begum got involved into BEES group activities back
in 1997. First time she received a Tk. 2,000 loan, combined it
with her own little savings and started a poultry farm. She got
the right direction of investment from BEES Extension
Workers, she recalls. At the beginning there were 1,000 poultry
at her farm. Year after year Anwara continued her income
generation spree with a gradual increasing trend. Now, in
place of one shed I have three sheds where I am rearing 5,000
poultry. Having enlarged my farm, I have also employed extra

46

help to manage the farm. This initiative has given me the

opportunity of employment generation. Besides I also have 6
cattle including 2 cows. My kitchen garden fulfills the
nutritional needs of the family and I can also sell some in the
market. I also get agricultural products from our arable land.
Now my monthly income has become steady enough to put an
end to financial uncertainty. My monthly income is now
around Tk. 9,500. With this income I can easily manage the
family rather slovently which was just impossible some years
ago. I have two sons and one daughter. I am sending my
children to school and hope to send them for higher education.
My future plan centers round the farm and my children and I
hope that my coming days will be brighter in both these
aspects, Anwara Begum states.
Anwara Begum is a woman with strong will power and
perseverance. She has proven the truth that if human potentials
get true nourishment it can be developed in all aspects. For
Anwara the power had been within, what she needed was a
spark. BEES assistance worked as the spark for Anwara. The
leadership quality of Anwara has been effectively explored by
her involvement with BEES group as the group leader. The
orientations on diversified issue like general health,
reproductive health, nutrition, safe water supply and sanitation,
plantation, environment, gender equity etc. has opened a new
era for Anwara. Anwaras horizon has been extended further
by her delegation as delivering these issues to her fellow group
members at the weekly meetings. She has been taking the
opportunity to spread these awareness among her group
members and rendering advice for productive initiatives among

47

them. Now she acts as an alternate teacher, motivator and

leader to refreshing the knowledge she has gained and she
manages her group to maintain solidarity among themselves.
Besides, she also stretches her social service range beyond her
group by motivating and advising others of her village. She
demands, I find mental satisfaction over doing it. I feel that
this way I can do my duty to society Her new role has
empowered her substantially in family and society.
In a male dominated society like ours, Anwara sure makes a
difference, with her transformation and emancipation, which is
yet to be multiplied by many others in a desired future.

48

No More Exploitation
Ratna Begum no longer has to worry on how to pay-off the
high interest loan to the usurer at her village. But life was not
so much unperturbed just a few years back for Ratna Begum,
age 28, from Dorikandi village of Belabo upazila of Narsingdi
district. The very small capital for peddling goods in the
locality couldnt be possible to manage other than surrendering
to the blood-sucking village money-lenders. What else could
Ratnas husband Md. Shahidullah do to mitigate the bare
necessities of the family when no other option was at hand,
they did not know. As a result life would at times even refuse
to be lived from hand to mouth. Bewildered, Ratna and her

49

husband thought their head out for an escape route from the
chain of poverty, of exploitation but all in vain.
The lions share of the profit would go to the usurers pocket,
the paradox of life was rather too harsh for the fivemember
familyRatna, her husband and three children. Five members
meant 5 mouths, 5 hungry stomachs, which added to the
bewilderment of the couple.
In this circumstance BEES extended its helping hand to a way
out. Ratna Begum came to know of the group activities and the
integrated support service package of BEES and its poverty
alleviation program. She was convinced and further motivated
by the BEES Extension Worker and some group members in
her locality. Ratna Begum became a groupmember of BEES
and received a Tk. 3,000 loan with easyinterest. The low
interest rate came as blessing against the previous bitter
experience of emptying the income in the hands of the moneylender. Although Ratna invested her first loan into her
husbands peddling business but with time she received higher
amounts of loan during the successive years which she invested
in diversified pursuits.
Ratna narrates herself, When I saw the successful activities of
BEES groups and the various services for development of the
group members, I was convinced that this is where I should go
for help. After receiving the first loan from BEES and repaying
it in due time with regular installments I could easily get more
loans. My means was to mark a positive change in the family
budget. My husband also was convinced. With the money he
started a grocery shop. While our capital was only Tk. 15,000
earlier, BEES has helped us to increase it in Tk. 80,000. With
the increased capital naturally income has also increased and so

50

has the capacity to increase the family expenditure for facilities

we could not even think of before. Our economic condition is
very much steady now. We have built two tin-rooms. Now I
have four cows, a number of cocks, hens, chicks and ducks.
With the training received from BEES, I am taking proper care
of my livestock and poultry and also getting vaccination and
veterinary services through the initiative of BEES. I have also
bought some agricultural land. Our monthly income is above
Tk. 8,600 now from the different income generation activities
we have undertaken. I can now send my children to school and
my expenditure is Tk. 1,000 for that purpose. In the family
budget issues like nutritional needs, health and medical
expenses and some other facilities have the priority now and
we can afford to spend Tk. 3,000 per month while it was a
mere Tk. 800 in those bygone plightful days. I am very happy
that our fretful days are over.
Ratna Begum has been emancipated from the curse of poverty
and eventually from the social backwardness. While she
represented the destitute lot earlier, now she has been
established in society. Her enlightenment owes to the
integrated support from BEES. She has become aware of her
basic rights as a human being and as a citizen of the country.
Having oriented on primary health care, reproductive health
care, hygiene and sanitation, environment, tree plantation,
nutrition, education, gender issues, legal rights, voter right etc.
Ratna now represents a conscious citizen, an enlightened
human being. Her eyes have opened to a new world of
potentials previously unknown to her. A sea-change from
socio-econo-cultural perspective has happened to Ratna's life,
encouraging others to tread the similar ways towards
empowerment.

51

Maksuda, the Dream Merchant

It is my cherished dream that I shall make my tea- stall a full
fledged big restaurant where food will be served, and also
equip my mobile phone business with the communication
facilities at international level, Maksuda Akter Rani, 33, from
Paltakanda village of Bhairab upazila under Kishoreganj
district broods over a desired future glory she may be bestowed
with in the days to come. What is superb about Maksudas
dream is the very fact that she has been able to dream at all, of
something which is realistically achievable. Because for a
person like Maksuda, a petty huckster earlier, selling trivial
items like chocolate, toothpowder, comb, cosmetics, ribbons,
clips etc. survival was the ultimate concern. Thinking beyond

52

that was unimaginable. She did not have a house to live in and
had been a tenant at other peoples house. Life was full of
struggle and often poverty would win over her. At the days
end, her abode was not an alluring place for her, it was just an
effort to pass the night to wake up in the morning of another
identical day of utter hardship. But Maksuda was not to give in.
She was in search of a way out. She attended some meetings
organized by BEES in her locality where she came to know
Md. Emdadul Haque, Field Worker, BEES. He explained
BEES strategy and principles to her, which showed her a new
light. With their orientation I came back to my village where I
organized some other women from my neighborhood and
formed a group named Paltakandad Mohila Samiti. From
then onwards I have been involved with the group and my life
has turned out to be on a different track, leading towards sure
success.
As a group member I have received loan from BEES for a
number of times and I have invested the money in my peddling
business for the first time followed by clothes trading, tea stall
and mobile phone business. But taking such a drastic turn
could not have been possible if I did not receive the support,
the right direction to choose the best path as a means of
materializing my ambition into achievement. Earning a
reputation by regularly paying off the installments I have been
able to take loans a number of times and in increasing
quantities. The profits from my entrepreneurship have been
increasing bringing me good luck, Maksuda says. Now
Maksudas monthly income from her tea-stall and mobile
phone business is about Tk. 7,700. Maksuda goes through her
success story, I could not run business properly because of
inadequate capital. The loan from BEES has enabled me
increase my capital for business venture. From the profit I

53

could even save money after paying off the installments. At

times I would invest the savings in business and earn higher
profit with increased capital. Now that business has been
expanding I have involved other members of my family into
business. My perseverance, proper planning and business skill
have reached me at this stage. Now I am no more a petty
peddler but I am the owner of a stable set- up, a teastall and
mobile phone business. I have made a house of my own, an
abode where I really belong. During my struggling days, there
was none to stand beside me. But BEES support has
empowered me. BEES supports have been diversified. A
substantial development has been possible for me from socioecono-cultural perspective.
The financial upliftment of Maksuda has been nourished
further with knowledge and practice of basic principles of an
entire well being like gender awareness, health and hygiene
awareness, education and its importance, importance of
environment conservation, protesting early marriage etc.
Maksuda herself feels that her position in the family has
become more decisive and so is in the society as well as her
social accountability has increased. A sea-change has taken
place in Maksudas life. While she thought herself to be a
burden to society, now she feels that she belongs to it and
belongs very confidently where she can participate in social
arbitrations, enjoy her citizens rights like casting vote, can
work parallely with the male members of the society. Due to
her change, her entire environment has changed. A proud
owner of a profitable business concern Maksuda finds new
hope when she sees her tea stall crowded with clients caring for
a hot drink with a little snacks or when her mobile phone links
people exchanging talks over a distance. These ventures mean
profit for Maksuda while kindling a new light through the days

54

to come. Who knows may be that day is not far away when
Maksuda will become the happy proprietor of a big restaurant
as well as a phone network connecting a wider range of people.
Maksuda could have been either perished or merely survived
as a non-entity in the society. But her amelioration has been a
dream come true leading ways to dreaming realistic dreams
paving their ways towards the reach of Maksuda. The driving
force behind it? Ask Maksuda, she will express her gratitude to
none else, but a true friend, a guide, a way forward, BEES with
the backup support of her will power, industry, proper
planning, business wisdom and perseverance.

55

The Secrets of Success

If one does not have financial solvency, one cannot have social
status either. Kalpana Akter suffered the same kind of
humiliation and denial from her surroundings. Hailing from
Sarishabari of Gazipur district, Kalpana Akter came to live in
Deshipara, Gazipur, where her husband Md. Ismail had come
earlier in search of work. They had some agricultural land in
Sarishabari but they could grow very little crops as the lands
were in low-lying areas. They had to go through a lot of
hardship. Therefore they sold their land and bought some
decimals of land at Deshipara. Kalpana was intent to do
something for the sake of better living, to establish herself in
the society. She came to know of BEES and its credit program

56

from the elderly woman of the house next door and decided to
get involved in BEES group. This woman introduced Kalpana
with the BEES personnel, who in details explained to her the
poverty alleviation program of BEES along with the integrated
support services. Kalpana was impressed and convinced doubly
to become a group member with the motivation she received
from BEES personnel. Now Kalpana feels that, it was the
turning point of her life, as she looks back. Kalpana and her
husband wanted to do something profitable but they had fund
constraint. This problem came to a certain solution with
Kalpanas involvement in BEES group. She discussed her
intention with the BEES personnel and he showed her some
option of income generation from which Kalpana could
choose. With his guidance Kalpana planned to establish a
poultry farm and received a loan of Tk. 6,000 for the first time
in April 2,000.
Kalpana recalls her productive pursuit, With my own little
capital money along with the Tk. 6,000 received from BEES, I
bought 500 chicks. Within 6 months the chicks grew up and
started laying eggs. Next year I received Tk. 15,000 as loan
from BEES and bought more chicks. Thus my farm gradually
expanded year after year as I received Tk. 25,000 and TK.
30,000 as loan through the successive years, which I invested
in my poultry farm. Even after paying off the installments,
profit was enough to bring me solvency. I have a good record
at paying back the installment money to BEES enabling me to
receive higher amount of loan. However, I have been paying
the installments of my latest loan regularly and already I have
completed 13 installments. Next time I hope to receive Tk.
80,000 and wish to make permanent pucca shed for my
poultry.

57

Kalpanas exemplary success did not come so easily. Adhering

to her strong will power to win over poverty and sufferings
Kalpana put her all out effort in her poultry farm. Kalpana
knew that her diligence would bring her the success she had
been craving for. Industrious and optimistic, Kalpana even
went to the extreme of taking care of the poultry sacrificing her
sleep at night. Her utmost concern was centered round her
farm. Kalpana was not alone in her venture. Her husband was a
constant shoulder-lender to Kalpana, while the same man did
not believe in equal rights of men and women and would not
consider her opinion as of much importance. The economic
upliftment has put me on a pedestal both in my family and
outside. I have become much empowered now. I owe it to
BEES not only because of the financial support but also
because of the advice, the extended help with the techniques of
poultry rearing and management through training. I have been
able to develop my fate by exploring this resource. Now my
farm has grown so big that I have employed two helping hands.
To my satisfaction two persons are generating income in a
country like ours, where unemployment itself is a big social
problem. My monthly income is now Tk. 11,200 after all the
expenditure of the farm. My past toils are over. I have bought 2
bighas (66 decimals) of land. I have also bought some
furniture for my home. Anybody can see my happiness from
the life I am leading. Involvement with BEES has also made
me aware on basic health and hygiene, gender equity, water
supply and sanitation, nutrition, education and so on. I am
getting a lot of benefit from BEES. BEES distributes good
quality seeds of vegetables every year. By cultivating those in
my kitchen garden, I am also growing vegetables which are
fulfilling the nutritional needs of the family to a great extent.
We are getting health services from BEES health program. It

58

seems like BEES has taken up the noble job of developing our
life in every respect and I feel myself very lucky to be a part of
it. I am sending my son to school. He is in class four now. I
hope to educate him and that is my dream because BEES has
taught me that there is no alternative to education, says
Kalpana.
Kalpanas rise is exemplary to the other women in her
community. Kalpana does not at all hesitate to advice others to
follow her path. She voluntarily advices others the ways to
change the luck and also the basics of well being. A happy and
self helped Kalpana Akter believes that she has made the
saying come into reality Industry is the key to success.

59

The Rise of Rasheda Begum

Rasheda Begum is a TTBA (Trained Traditional Birth
Attendant) of BEES. She studied up to SSC and is married to
Rafiqul Islam who studied up to class eight. They got married
in 1988 and now have three children. Rashedas first child is a
boy reading in class three. The rest two are girls studying in
class two and one respectively.
Rasheda lives in Gokulnagar village in Raipura upazila under
Narsingdi district. She got the conception of group formation
and thus income generation activities of BEES first in 1997,
and then is motivated by the Samiti of Gokulnagar,
Dakhsminpara. Later in the same year she became enlisted in

60

the Gokulnagar Mohila Samiti with the help of the Field

Officer Abed Mian. While becoming a member she got her
husbands consent. Rashedas financial condition began to
change when she became a member of the samiti.
Being a member she took loan for five times and received a
total of Tk. 26,000 as credit from the BEES group. For the first
two terms Rasheda deposited Tk. 10 per week and thence she
has been depositing Tk. 20 as her weekly savings. Rashedas
husband is a farmer and they have a vestibule of paddy and
rice. She bought a cow from the amount of that credit money
and invested the rest of the money in their rice business.
Though the business is not new, their capital was too small to
run that business. Now they have a capital of Tk. 20,000. She
has become able to make profit by that amount of capital. Both
she and her husband work in their terrace (vestibule). Her
husband cultivates millet in their own land.
They have a piece of land of about thirty-three decimals. From
this land they get two crops a year, rice and vegetables. Her
husband purchases paddy from Narayanpur and Bhoirab Bazar
of Kishoreganj district. But, to sell the rice and the vegetables
they produce, they do not have to go to the market. They
consume some crops from what remains after selling. Rasheda
winnows the husk and feeds her cows with those husks. She
gets milk from a cow. They consume some of the milk and sell
the rest. Before being a member they had no cow, but now they
have two cows and a calf. They have eight hens and they get
four eggs from them daily. She gets Tk. 84 in a month selling
chickens and Tk. 1,800 from milk.
Tk. 3,200 as monthly income could not provide the basic needs
of Rashedas family. BEES paved the way to a solvent life for

61

her. Now she is happy with the monthly income of Tk. 7,184.
She can now spend up to Tk. 4,510 per month, while earlier
she spent Tk. 3,020 in a month. Rasheda is used to with the
savings habit. She has now a savings of Tk. 3,200 in the BEES
group. Two weeks back she took a loan of Tk. 500 from her
group savings.
MONTHLY INCOME
Sources of Income
Business
Agricultural Sector
Services

Previous

Total

0
3200
0

Present
1884
5000
300

3200

7184

2200
170
200
0
450
3020

Present
2550
275
250
450
985
4510

MONTHLY EXPENDITURE
Head of Expenditure
Food
Cloth
Health
Education
Entertainment & Others
Total

Previous

Being a member of the BEES group, she built a bedroom and a

shed for her cows from the profit of her business. She also
bought a tubewell with Tk. 1,500. They have no sanitary latrine
but hope for one.
Rasheda achieves a positive change both in family and social
status. Rasheda acknowledges her change to BEES, the overall
development program of BEES bestowing her with awareness
on many vital issues. In course of her involvement in BEES

62

Samiti Rasheda has received awareness on education, gender,

women empowerment, environment, health, hygiene, etc.
Alongside her economic upliftment, Rashedas awareness has
transformed her into the now important person she is.
Neighboring women come to her to get some opinions in
different problems. She has been facilitated a lot by the
education class of the Samiti. Moreover, she has got training on
TBA (Traditional Birth Attendance) in the unit office of BEES
at Narayanpur. As a TTBA Rasheda is honored in her
community and also able to earn some extra income. She has
got renounce in her locality and is used to do advocacy for
social mobilization. Her husband is a very polite man. He is an
open minded man and very cooperative while she is taking any
decision.
However, Rasheda Begums story is of one who has won over
the limitations and barriers bestowed upon her by poverty and
backwardness. The empowering light shown by BEES and its
poverty alleviation drive has enabled Rasheda to establish
herself in life.

63

Gifted with
a New-found Hope
Those were the days of despair, of hunger, of humiliation
while the winner was poverty, shattering our lives to pieces.
Poverty told upon us both mentally and physically. I didnt
have the capacity even to think healthy, not to mention my
physical ill-health. Because it was only the concern how to
keep us alive, how to get going at least with three meals a day,
which, of course was not so easy to manage. And we had to go
starving on a number of instances. Our only means of living
was small business which was hardly profitable due to small

64

investment. As a result, our life was miserable in our efforts to

fight back poverty, Morzina Khatun narrates her story.
Mst. Morzina Khatun from Tarafmeru village of Gabtoli
upazila, Bogra is an identical woman of million other destitute
women of rural Bangladesh, living below poverty line. These
hapless groups, of whom Morzina is a representative, form the
majority of our population. Morzinas family consist of five
members- Morzina, her husband, two sons and a daughter.
Indigence was their constant companion. Morzinas sons were
suffering from malnutrition as she could not give them
nutritious food. Overpowered by extreme needs Morzina felt
very keenly for a means to change their luck and was in search
of a way forward. In the midst of her desperate quest Morzinas
luck was really to turn as if with the golden touch of King
Midas.
It was back in 1995-96 when the turning point came to
Morzinas life. Morzina recalls, An apa from BEES (a
female extension worker) came to our village and talked to us.
She explained the different activities of BEES and its goal to
develop the lives of the poor and destitute. She explained
BEES credit program. We found it very much convincing for
us to get involved into the program, be a part of it for the sake
of our overall development.
Motivated by the BEES principle, Morzina along with some
other poor women of her village formed a group with the
assistance of an Extension Worker of BEES and named their
group Tarafmeru Mohila Samiti. The group activities have
changed Morzinas life utterly. Firstly, with the financial
assistance, secondly with awareness and empowerment on

65

many issues. She received her first loan of Tk. 2,000 for
business capital and gradually received more loans of an
increased amount through the years for a diversified purposes.
The loans helped her explore ways of better living. Morzina
received Tk. 4,000 the following year and bought a cow.
Utilizing the profits from her investments alongwith more
loans, now Morzina has 2 bighas (66 decimals) of agricultural
land of her own while she has also leased 1 bigha of land.
They are growing multiple crops in the land applying scientific
methods of farming. BEES assistance in this regard has helped
Morzina a lot with good quality seeds, fertilizer and so on.
Besides Morzina has also been rearing cattle and goats. Now
she has two cows and three goats. She is getting vaccination
facilities from BEES. While there was only one room for the
whole family, now they have been able to build three more tin
rooms. Morzinas house has also become sanitized, there is a
pucca sanitary latrine at the house. The credit goes to BEES
sanitation programme. The motivation and awareness raising
initiatives have empowered Morzina to a great extent. She has
become very much conscious of her gender role, that she is not
meant to hold a subordinate position either in family or in
society, that she has the same power, same rights a man has.
She has become aware on many other basic issues as well, i.e.
health, education, nutrition, environment, cleanliness and so
on. Her younger son and daughter are reading in class seven
and class two respectively. Her eldest son has the education
level of class seven who is now a garments worker at Dhaka.
She alongwith her family members is having health services
from qualified doctors as well as nutritional needs have also
been fulfilled due to her awareness and also because of
growing vegetables, fruits etc. at her homestead.

66

The family budget has become expanded due to higher income.

From her diversified income generating activities, i.e.
agriculture, business, livestock and other sources, her monthly
income has reached above Tk. 5,000 from her previous income
of Tk. 1,500. As a result she can now spend above Tk. 4,000
for her family per month against the previous expenditure of
Tk. 1,500. While the previous income could not fulfill all the
family needs, now she can even manage some savings after a
decent life.
Morzina feels ever grateful to BEES for her development,
Although peoples fate is in the hands of God, but for me the
driving force is BEES extended assistance. While I was as
insignificant as dust in the eyes of society now I have been
respected by others. I feel my position has become reinforced
both in family and society. And it is due to the upliftment and
the new insight I have become gifted with by the help of BEES
and my endeavor.

67

Graced with
a Higher Insight
Her neighbors say that Dilruba has found the magic lamp of
Aladin. Otherwise what else could have been the secret of her
success? While, with the little income of Dilrubas husband
Md. Khorshed Alams small job, Dilruba struggled her heart
out earlier, now their monthly income is handsome enough to
bring the family solvency. Mst. Dilruba Begum from Bhurulia
village of Gazipur stands as an epitome of success and her rise
is exemplary to others.

68

Dilruba says, We had to struggle very hard with my husbands

little income to manage our six-member family. But my
husband with S.S.C level education could not have done better
than what he was doing. I could not give nutritious food to my
two sons and two daughters. Neither could I give decent
clothing to them. I could hardy manage the educational
expenses of my children. Yet I was not to give up. Because I
knew that perseverance would bring me sunny days, but the
question remained, how? All I needed was a source of
inspiration, a push forward and a helping hand to rely on.
Meanwhile I heard of BEES. I came to know that the group
members of BEES could avail loan and an opportunity of
savings. I did not have any clear idea of these activities or their
system. However the Extension Worker of BEES explained to
me in details the rules, regulations and the benefits of the group
activities. I also got the motivation from him to get involved.
For me there was no second thought. Following the advice of
the group leader and also my husband I became a member of
BEES group. The involvement was my seed of success. After
getting involved in BEES group I received Tk. 5,000 as loan
from BEES in 1999 for dairy farming. At first I bought a local
variety cow and the next year I bought another one. But the
local species was not that much profitable. Then with the
advice of BEES worker I bought a high breed cow which was
very much profitable. Gradually receiving higher amount of
loan every year i.e. Tk. 10,000, Tk. 20,000, Tk.30,000, and
Tk.40,000 from the year 2000 to 2003, I have been able to buy
6 high breed cows. Now my dairy farm has proven to be very
much profitable. I have been able to pay the loan installments
with the money earned from selling milk. Everyday I am able
to sell 40 kgs of milk. I have also appointed a worker at my
dairy farm to help me, whom I give Tk.2000 per month.

69

Whereas I could not run my family well before, now my status

has changed as an employer, creating scope of employment
generation. However, now my monthly income from the farm
is Tk. 10,000. Combining it with my husbands monthly salary
of Tk. 3,000 now I can run the family very smoothly and also
can manage to have some savings for future.
Mst. Dilruba is a woman with a keen foresight and strong will
power. The involvement with BEES has explored the hidden
potentials in her. While it was just struggling to get going
earlier, may be not with merely having food or the basic needs
and perhaps better than that, but no doubt it was real hardship.
Dilrubas only concern was then to manage the family budget
being as much miserly as she could. But, becoming a group
member and getting the loan facility, Dilruba has been able to
change her luck. Its not merely financial solvency, Dilruba has
reached far beyond that. She is now the principal contributor in
her family budget which has earned her an extra status. Now
her husband evaluates her doubly and considers her opinion
important before taking any decision. Dilrubas children are
being educated. Over to her utmost satisfaction, her eldest son
is studying engineering at BUET, her second son is a student of
class seven while her daughters are reading in class nine and
class five respectively. She visualizes a bright future with her
children educated and established in life. She has gained
knowledge and awareness on many basic and social issues.
Being aware on health, nutrition, environment, sanitation she
has raised her life up to the standard. Social awareness like
voters rights, gender equity, etc. have enlightened her to a
great extent. She has become a conscious person in family and
in society. Before she only thought about her own worldherself, her family, her children etc. But now she thinks of

70

others and respects her social duty. She generates her

knowledge, awareness to other women and renders advice to
them on many issues. Besides she is also protesting much
social injustice like violence against women, early marriage
and so on. Her status has not been worth mentioning earlier.
But now her position in the society has become distinct. She
has earned a social position so high as to be selected a member
of the Executive Committee of a school. No one can even think
of disregarding her, instead she holds a leading position in the
society now. She has proven that womenfolk are not meant to
be neglected and backwards in society. The courage, newer
insight and optimism have attributed Dilruba with the vision of
looking up to life very positively. Therefore her heart did not
sink even at the loss of over Tk. 60,000 while two high breed
cows died at her farm. She could reinforce her efforts from her
loss instead of surrendering herself in the hands of cruel
destiny.
Her present position, her success has gained pace from issues
like these challenges. Dilruba has proved to be a winner, not a
loser, and she owes her achievement to BEES, as it has
enriched her with deeper insight and ability.

71

Anita Exceeds Her Unbearable

Affliction
One day my children were crying in hunger. There was not a
grain of food in the house and also no money. I went to Gita
Boudi at the house next door to seek some loan but she was
equally destitute as me and could not give me any money.
Hearing about my children she gave me some panibhat (rice
cooked overnight and kept steeped in water), because thats
whatever she had. I came home with the panibhat and gave
my children to eat. As they were eating they asked me crying,

72

if I wouldnt take some. I had to lie to them because the

quantity was very small and said that I had already taken
some, Anita Rani went on with steaming eyes. She no more
wants to remember those terrible days.
Anita Rani Paal from Aria village of Majhira upazila of Bogra
was born in a very poor potters family. Povertys pitiless
clutches snatched away the charm of childhood from Anita.
She wasnt even allowed to go to school and engaged in work
from her childhood. I was married off to Adit Chandra Paal of
Chandijan village from Sherpur upazila of Bogra district. His
occupation was also pottery. Povertys harsher face was
exposed to me after marriage. Because now I was supposed to
manage a family of my own, with the little income. My
husband had only 1.5 decimals of household land where there
was our thatched house and the household premises were used
for our pottery work. The condition of the house was so broken
down that the fencing bamboo walls were torn at places letting
in the wind to blow inside. With date palm branches or straw I
would try to cover the holes. During rains water rolled down
the holes of the straw roof. Needs of life were so enormous that
I and my husband would often quarrel over the very trivial
issues. My husband even used to beat me up at times. I didnt
even have a voice to protest, Anita memorizes.
Meanwhile their first daughter was born, she was named
Dulali. Two years after that their second child, a son was born
and named Prashanto Kumar. The family size was increasing
but not the income. Anita felt helpless but continued working
harder making clay pottery, statues, idols etc. Despite the hard
work, Anita and her husband found it next to impossible to
manage three meals a day for their family of six members-

73

Anita, her husband, her mother-in-law and three children. Their

children were growing up, but Anita could not send them to
school for their overpowering poverty. As the pottery trade
itself has become near to extinct, it was really very hard for
them to survive. During this terrible state of mind, Anita found
the twinkling ray of hope. Anju Apa, so they call the Field
Extension Worker of BEES, came to their neighborhood and
talked to her about many issues relating to poverty eradication.
She explained to Anita and some other village women about
BEES credit program. For Anita, there was no hesitation to
grab this chance. She became a member of Chandijan Mohila
Samiti of BEES. After that she received her first loan of Tk.
3,000 in 1997. With the money she bought a cow. To Anitas
happiness her husband consented to her decisions and Anita
received his support later too. Selling the cows milk Anita was
earning some money to add to the family money line. However
from then onwards Anita received loans through the successive
years for a variety of purposes, i.e. as capital of business,
daughters wedding, buying land etc. Now Anita does not
belong to the hard core poor class any longer. She has settled
down in life. She has wedded off her eldest daughter. Her son
has also grown up. Her youngest daughter reads in class three.
Anitas world has extended into a much larger one now, she
has been economically upgraded and spiritually more
independent. Counseled and motivated on basic necessities for
well being, Anita Rani is educating her youngest daughter,
trying to take nutritious food by means of cultivating fruits,
vegetables etc. in her household premises, maintaining
personal hygiene, installing and using sanitary latrine,
consulting the doctor of BEES whenever she or her family
members are sick etc. Anita herself states, I was not respected
or given any importance by anyone in the society as I was very

74

poor. Nobody values the poor, so felt. But now I dont feel
inferior. Because I am a human being and I have my rights.
Poor have their voices too, BEES has thought me. I also have
my gender-rights. I am not to be neglected anymore. I am no
more poor either. Now I have contentment in life. I am holding
on to my fathers and forefathers business and prospering by
investing in it with BEES loan. I have been able to earn the
reliability of BEES authorities by sincerely paying off my
installments. I have been able to do that because of my untiring
labor. With this I have become capable of winning fortune and
trod a path of prosperity leaving behind the haunting poverty.

75

A Weapon against Poverty

Mst. Mariam Begum, age 28, lives in Baluchakuli village of
Gazipur district. Her financial condition was not sound. The
income of her husband Md. Moksed Ali was very low. Several
times she tried to take loan for a poultry farm, but since the
interest rate is so high, she dared not take any loan from money
lenders. So being inspired by the services of BEES in her
locality, one day she went to the BEES office. There she came
to know about the poverty alleviation program of BEES in
details. She received motivation to become involved for an
overall development. Being motivated she involved herself
with their activities.

76

Now, I dont have to pay high interest to village usurer. Im

free from all sorts of anxiety and leading a happy life with my
family. And all credit goes to BEES. It is them who helped me
to become financially solvent, narrates Mariam with shining
eyes.
Mariam was a housewife. As her husbands income was very
low, they could never cross the poverty line. Life was very
much miserable. She always dreamt of becoming an earning
lady herself. But it was not possible to materialize until she got
involved in BEES group. As she had interest in poultry rearing,
she decided to establish a poultry farm. With the advice of
BEES Extension Worker at first she received a loan of Tk.
5,000 with which she brought some chicks and began to rear
them. Within few months she started to get benefit from that.
She sold some hens and some started to lay eggs. Next year she
took more loans to expand her project. In this way she repaid
Tk. 1,35,000 of her total loan. Now she has taken another Tk.
6,000 as credit from BEES. Behind her success her husband
always encouraged her and helped her with her works. Now
her monthly income is about Tk. 15,000.
Mariam has a son of 8 years and he is the student of class two.
Her 6 years old daughter is in nursery. Her hope is to educate
her children properly, so that they can enjoy better life. They
do not have to face financial difficulties now. Moreover she is
saving money for future. Now she is economically and
financially secured. Her neighbors often come to her for
different types of decisions. Im socially empowered now. I
know my rights as a human being. Now I apply my voting
rights. I have learnt about many important things like primary
health care, hygiene, nutrition, sanitation etc. from BEES. I

77

always try to convince destitute ladies to became member of

BEES, says Mariam.
Being attached with BEES for 7 years the views of Mariam
have completely changed. She often encourages the women of
her village about poultry project. She thinks that it is a good
source of income for rural women as they have some
experience in poultry rearing. At the same time, nutritional
level of the family could be enhanced. Since she has been
benefited from poultry project she sets a practical example in
front of them. Furthermore she keeps her advice open for her
neighbors for other feasible income generating activities as
well as raises social awareness among them. Mariam Begum,
the newly empowered woman has taken up the noble job of
motivating others to move towards empowerment.

78

BEES a Friend in Need

We had been deserted, helpless and penniless. Our only
concern was how to pass the rest of our life, as our son had
separated from us. My husband used to work as day labor but
due to old age he could no more do that. Besides we didnt
have any land of our own. All we had was our house and the
two of us- me Mst. Asia Akter, age 45 and my husband Md.
Hossain Miah, age 55, two helpless victims of extreme poverty
and uncertainty. At times we would manage a scanty meal, at
times even not so. Hunger, hardship and uncertainty had been
ruling over our life. It was then I came to know of BEES and
its credit program from a neighboring woman. She told me that
BEES gave loans to people with easy interest and it had to be

79

repaid by installments. I talked with my husband about it. We

both became convinced that we could start an income
generating activity if we could avail the loan. We decided to
start a shop and so I enrolled myself in Kewa Pashchim
Madhya Mohila Samiti a group of BEES under Sreepur
upazila of Gazipur district where I live.
As the group member I received Tk. 5,000 as loan at first
which I invested to start a grocery shop in 2001. I am the
owner of the shop and I manage my shop. My husband helps
me in my work. I sell a variety of grocery items at my shop.
The sale is good and earns enough profit to put an end to our
days from hand to mouth. The next year I received Tk. 7,000
and Tk.10,000 in the year after that. Now my shop has grown
considerably from the one at the beginning. The villagers come
to my shop for their day to day needs. I find satisfaction over
being able to run my business. I dont have to worry any longer
about how to manage barely the days meals. My shop has
yielded me good days. I have been able to pay the installments
and save some extra after managing our expenses. My monthly
earning from the shop is around Tk. 3,000. I have also bought a
cow and I earn about Tk. 500 from selling milk. Tk. 3,500 per
month is enough for the two of us. Previously my husbands
monthly income had been Tk. 1,600 when he could work as a
day labor. But then there were also the workless days which
were even worse. Compared to that my life has changed upside
down putting me on a higher ground. I dont feel dejected any
more. My financial stability has earned me security. I never
knew women could be equal to men. But getting involved with
BEES I have learnt to believe in the hidden power inside me.
Now I know that I can depend on myself rather than looking up
to my husband or my son.

80

Every week we have to gather for the weekly group meeting

where the BEES worker discusses about many important
issues. From those discussions I have learnt that men and
women have equal rights. I have also learnt the adverse result
of early marriage, the curse of the dowry system and that it is
our duty to protest it. BEES has taught me about the
importance of health, hygiene, cleanliness, safe water,
sanitation, nutrition and so on. Now I know that our
environment is our heritage and its our duty to conserve it by
means of plantation, preventing pollution etc. These awareness
have opened an inner eye of me and now I find a newer
meaning of life. While I was just a housewife earlier, now I
have become a complete human being with a high degree of
consciousness. I have earned a respectable position both in
family and society.
Apart from the financial assistance and the awareness building,
I am also getting some other services from BEES. BEES is
providing us the medical services by qualified doctors when we
get sick. BEES also gives us good quality seeds for kitchen
gardening twice a year. I am growing vegetables at my
homestead and it is fulfilling our need of nutritional intake.
What has impressed me most about BEES is that BEES has
targeted an overall development of the life of the backward and
destitute people like me. I have become much empowered by
my involvement with BEES. Because when I was about to give
in BEES has kindled the sprit in me to fight back. BEES has
taught me to believe in my power within, shake off the passive
attitude towards life. Now I have also learnt to dream again. I
dont feel old and abandoned any more. I hope to expand my
shop and build a nice house in future. BEES, like a true friend

81

has extended its support to us in our days of desertion while

our own son could not be looked upon to. My development has
influenced my acquaintances and many have become inspired.
Seeing me, my neighbor Mst. Ajufa Akhtar along with three
other women has joined BEES group. Previously I was not a
believer in the good intention of organizations like BEES, my
involvement has changed my misconception. Now I believe
that involvement in similar program as BEES can bring
change of luck to the poor and advice others to follow my path.

82

Being Productive is
a Blessing
This is a story of socio-economic upheaval of 35 years old
Rabeya Khatuns life. On being hard-up in life, Rabeya thought
of alternatives for a living. She shared her ideas of alternatives
for increasing income with her husband. This sharing has
opened a gate for her to start a life as a BEES group member.
She lives in the village Darikandi under Belabo upazila of
Narsingdi district, with her husband and five children. Rabeya
was inspired by her neighboring Samities. Once she went to the
Area Office of BEES. There she met the Unit Manager Mr.

83

Sattar and then enlisted herself in a Samiti near her village

entitled Hossain Nagar Mohila Samiti. Later she herself
established a group in her own village four years ago.
Rabeya took her fourth loan of Tk. 7,000 about eight months
ago. Her first loan was Tk. 3,000 with which she bought a cow.
She added to this money about Tk. 2,000 of her own. Second
time she took Tk. 4,000 as a loan from BEES and bought a cow
with Tk. 8,000 adding to her own money again. Third time she
bought a cow with Tk. 10,000. In this time again she added Tk.
4,000 of her own. Finally, almost eight months ago she bought
a cow with Tk. 10,000. She added Tk. 3,000 into this money.
Rabeya possesses a land. She cultivates the land and produces
rice and vegetables from it. She produces 90 mounds of rice in
a year. They consume 30 mounds for the family and sell 40
mounds at a price of Tk 250 per mounds and thus get the total
amount of production cost for rice. Investing Tk. 20,000 they
produce vegetables, and they earn Tk. 1,00,000 selling these.
They themselves consume vegetables, which cost Tk. 14,600.
Selling milk Rabeya gets Tk. 8,000 in a month and consumes
some milk costing Tk. 720 per month. Yearly she earns from
selling calves Tk. 20,000 as a net profit. She has 4 hens and 25
chickens. She gets Tk. 200 per month from the eggs and Tk.
2,000 from selling the chicken. They consume two-third of the
eggs they get and sell one third. She has seven ducks also from
which she earns Tk. 1,300 per year.
After becoming a member of BEES she bought 99 decimal of
land from the profit of her business. Spending Tk. 6,000 she
built one kitchen and a cow-shed. She bought furniture
spending Tk. 9,200. She bought a tubewell for Tk. 1,500 and

84

all her family members use it for all purposes. They have
already got a sanitary toilet.
In the previous period, the family earned in a month Tk. 7,300.
But their income has been increased dramatically in the present
period. It has risen sharply to Tk. 15,251. Along with their
increase in income their expenses on basic needs food, cloth,
health, education as well as entertainment and others also have
increased. Previously they spent only Tk. 6,750 and at the
present period the expenditure becomes almost double
amounting to Tk. 12,350.
Monthly Income
Sources of Income
Business
Agricultural Sectors
Others
Total

Previous
0
6,520/780/7,300/-

Vegetables
Income from share crop
Poultry
Monthly Expenditure
Head of Expenditure
Food
Clothes
Health
Education
Entertainment &
others
Total

Present
8,660/6,591/0
15,251/-

3270/3250/780/-

Previous
1650/125/475/1,500/3,000/-

Present
2,600/750/2,000/
3,000/4,000/-

6,750/-

12,350/-

85

Previously, Rabeya had no savings, but at present she has a

savings of Tk. 3,000. She was indifferent about savings before
being associated with BEES. Now staying with the group, she
has become conscious about the necessity of building savings
for future protection of the family.
Rabeyas capital has been increased. The reasons for increase
of capital are conversion of a part of income from business as
capital, loans received from BEES and accumulation of
savings. She needs an increased amount to get rid of the loans
from the moneylenders; to increase the capital of the business;
and avoid borrowing from friends and relatives.
In rearing cattle Rabeya gets veterinary treatment facilities for
her cattle through govt. livestock service. Though in the
previous period veterinary treatment facilities were available,
they did not have cattle and did not need it. Rabeya gets
vaccines from the hospital for her poultry. Her husband took a
vocational training entitled Entrepreneur Training Course on
Calf Rearing under the National Livestock Entrepreneur
Development Project.
The members of her family take meals 3 times a day and they
take it timely. Previously they used to eat rice and now they eat
bread also. They have improved their rice chart with their
financial capability and awareness of health and nutrition.
Having lessons learnt from the group meetings now they are
firmly habituated to use safe tube-well water. Her family avail
proper medical treatment facilities too. Earlier they had access
to the govt. hospital and now clinical facilities are added to that
facility. The life of Rabeya in her husbands house started
smooth. It became critical while the days and months were
passing. A family of 7 members with insufficient income from

86

small trading in cattle and agriculture could not answer the

needs of the members adequately. So Rabeya took a loan from
BEES group and thereby engaged in a small project for raising
income for the family. Moreover, various sectors of expenses
caused her to be aware of the needs of the present and future.
They are motivated by BEESs comprehensive program.
Rabeya realized that earnings from small credit utilization and
expenses are needed to maintain her property with care.
Rabeya Khatun and her husband are working hard to remove
poverty from their life. They have seen the ways and means to
do it now. At present, they are not worried about food and
treatment facilities, as they earn a lot to address their daily
needs. They can manage the sudden expenses caused by social
crime like theft or natural disaster, storm, etc. Hence hardships
are leaving from the life of the family members. Rabeya
dreams of prosperous and blissful days to come.

87

Healing the Woes

with a Great Success
Youd nothing but to admire Sheuli Rani Devi if you met her.
Not for her looks. But for her disposition. For her luminous
confidence glittered on her cheeks. Her second name could
well have been Shobita (a glittering sun).
But the village where she lives in is a tiny place. A place out of
the reach of any well-off community or town. Poverty is
scattered in and around her locality. The scenario throws two
questions first: How would she survive? Wouldnt she perish
of scarcity, without having her basic needs mitigated?

88

Survive she did, and how. Indeed, she returned to tell the tale
and taught us many a lesson we could use to fight the poverty
pandemic.
She was married to Niranjan Devanath when she was only
sixteen. Due to strain of poverty her father settled her marriage
early. Many days had been passed. Scarcity of food bestowed
on her with decayed health. At the very beginning of their
married life the financial condition of her husband was very
harsh. A shanty, tin-roofed room, which they had to live in,
symbolized the sharp claws of poverty. The condition was so
miserable that in rainy days water used to roll down inside the
room, which was surrounded by walls made of bamboo. To
ameliorate the condition, her husband and herself struggled
very hard.
Sheuli studied upto SSC level while her husband read upto
class eight only. Before marriage she was a teacher in a BRAC
NFPE school, now a teacher in a Proshika school. She took
NFPE training from BRAC for 16 days and from Proshika for
14 days. She was in ASA for seven years also. But their
financial problems remained unsolved. It was too difficult for
them to bear all the expenses of the family with the little
income of them both. Sheuli wanted to make the family
financially solvent. Seeing the successful activities of BEES
groups around her locality and the services of BEES, she was
interested to be a member. One day she met BEES Field
Organizer Mr. Rubel. He described her the system of BEES
group in details. She became convinced that she would gain a
lot by being involved in such a group. She discussed about the
matter with her husband. He encouraged her to be involved in
BEES group.

89

So, to have capital, she enlisted her name in Laxmipur Mohila

Samiti of Narayanpur under Narsingdi district. Later, since
she had an educational background and was experienced, she
was selected a leader of the group. She has been continuing her
membership of the group for the last four years and received
loans from the organization for four times. She started tant
(loom) business with the credits that BEES provided. At first
she took Tk. 3,000 and bought a hand pit loom with that money
for making gaamchhaa (a light towel). Next year she received
Tk. 5,000 as credit from BEES. She decided to expand her
business with the money and bought looms and materials to
weave cloths with that money. To purchase a loom, she had to
pay Tk. 800 to Tk. 900. For the third time, she took Tk. 6,000
as a loan and invested the amount in the same business. From
the profit of her own and her husbands business, they bought a
cow for Tk. 10,000. She added Tk. 500 from her savings too.
Before being a member of BEES she had 10 looms, but she
could not use all of them because the workshop was very tiny
and worn-out. About 7 to 8 months back she spent Tk. 3,000
from the profit of her business to mend and make the workshop
newly. Yet the workshop needs to be expanded more. Finally
almost five weeks ago she has drawn her fourth loan of Tk.
8,000 from BEES. This time she intends to invest this money
to purchase a land along with the investment in her business to
expand it.
Sheuli Rani never goes to haat (weekly village market).
Lacking experience in commercial activities, she cannot have
the courage to deal with the marketing procedures. That is why
she has to depend on her husband. Both husband and wife
discuss each other about their business policy. But only her
husband goes to the market to purchase the business materials
or to sell the produced goods. Her husband himself has a small

90

business of wholesale garments. The marketing area is

confined in two places Baburhaat and Sheikher Char. When
he buys the raw materials from Baburhaat then he sells the
produced goods in Sheikher Char. Contrary wise, while buying
raw materials from Sheikher Char, he sells the products in
Baburhaat. But, as to his own business, he buys wholesale
garments from Baburhaat and sells them at different places.
Sheuli Rani is an active and spirited woman. In her working
days, she spends three hours from 10 a.m. to 1p.m., at Proshika
School. Then after lunch she spends her time with her
workshop supervision and management. Sometimes she herself
does work with handlooms in her workshop. There are eight
male and one female workers in the workshop. She has to pay
Tk. 50/- per worker daily.
Sheuli does professional occupation and business
simultaneously and thus becomes an active participant in the
moneyline of her family budget. She earns monthly Tk. 800
from her teachership at the NFPE school of Proshika, and Tk.
100 from giving the training to the group members of Proshika
Samiti. To assess her family life status making a scrutiny on
the periods before and after her involvement in BEES group,
we find that she could earn little from her own professional
occupation. Her husband was also a loser in his business.
Together they could earn only Tk. 5,275. Then they had to
spend niggardly almost all they earned. They spent Tk. 5,256
monthly in those days of abject poverty. They had no habit of
savings. The income of the present period has increased.
Savings during this period also have increased significantly.
Now they earn Tk. 8,200 per month and spend Tk. 6,350 for
household expenditure. It could be the result of the habit of
savings that has developed from the savings practice as a

91

member of BEES group. Her weekly savings in the group are

in total Tk. 2,100.
After becoming a member of a BEES group she bought a cow
with Tk. 10,000. Now she has a calf and in total 29 hens, cocks
and chickens. She gets four eggs daily. Selling the eggs she
gets Tk. 150 in a month. She is now aware of how to rear
poultry and livestock well. For her poultry and cow she gets
vaccines and medicine from nearby veterinary hospital and
from Proshika. Being a BEES member now she gets the food
security. Now no longer she has to live from hand to mouth.
Now all her family can take meals thrice a day. Previously they
could not avail protein. Now they eat fish daily and meat once
in a week. Her shanty room has, so to say, become a spacious
house built of tin-roofs and walls. She now rents a room to
Proshika NFPE school at Tk. 200 per month, and there she
herself is a teacher. From her sound income she bought a wallclock, a showcase and a bed. Adding to this all, an awareness
of having a happy future through more investment of savings
has been improved too.
Table 1: Income sources (monthly)
Source of Income

Previous Period

Present
Period

4375
900
0
5275

6600
900
700
8200

Business
Service
Others
Total

92

Table 2: Specific Family Expenditure (monthly)

Head of Expenditure

Previous

Present Period

Food

2500

3000

Cloth

115

150

Health

450

650

150

Entertainment & others

2200

2400

Total

5265

6350

Education

Sheulis involvement in BEES group has brought a difference

in her life. She has now become the staunchest in the financial
activities to bring the happiness of her family. Previously her
husband could not lead their family well with his individual
business. Even after becoming attached to BRAC or Proshika,
she could not do considerably well in their poor financial
arena. It was true that a behavioral soundness had been found
inherent in them. They have a safe tube-well, the water of
which they use for all purposes for about twenty years. They
have a sanitary latrine and they consciously practice hygiene.
Sheuli has two children, a girl who is 7 and a boy of 5 years
old. In the previous period none of them had gone to school,
whereas in the present period, Sheulis elder child, the daughter
goes to school and she is a student of class two. (Before her
involvement in BEES, she took a training of group

93

management. She is also the coordinator of a Proshika group at

Rathanagar union.)
The plight, anguish and melancholy is gradually being
removed and replaced by happiness. She has now become well
aware of production-oriented activities. She has played the
vital role in the increase in family income that has changed her
husbands non-cooperative attitude. She is now acquainted
with primary health care, nutrition, education and reproductive
health care. Now they are capable of being treated by qualified
doctors. Previously she was not aware of the complication of
the pregnant mothers. Before BEES entered the village there
were no medical check ups relating to pregnancy. The BEES
has individually introduced this kind of benevolent activity
through which she has become aware of her health needs.
Sheuli Rani is thus economically, socially, and spiritually
empowered. She believes that a woman has to work for her
own safety. This effort of a woman dignifies her in all respects
in the society she lives. All women have to work hard to
establish their position in the family, to the neighbors and in
the society. BEES group indeed played an important role
providing her loans and information to use them in productive
purposes for bringing solvency.
Sheuli Rani has succeeded in overcoming the pains and
anguishes of her early marital days. She has got the decision
making power at family level as well as in her locality. She
exchanges and disseminates information and lessons she has
learnt from BEES group to her neighborhood. Her neighbors
often come to her to get some advice. She is well conversant
with safe motherhood, womens as well as human right. Her
husband is very happy having such an auspicious woman in his
life.

94

Jyotsna, a True
Entrepreneur
A drum, a vessel, a donkey and a woman
Are all worthy of being beaten.
-Ancient Hindu saying.
Mst. Jyotsna Begum, a woman at forty five from Kalipur
village of Bhairab upazila of Kishorganj district, believes the
saying from the deep of her heart. On talking to her, it was
learnt that before being enrolled in BEES Samiti she had been
used to be beaten by her husband if she served him left-over

95

from an earlier meal, if she forgot to wash his shirt and if she
could not respond quickly enough when he asked her to do
something or she left the home without his permission. She
then seemed herself as a Punch Bag on which her husband
could vent to his frustrations and ill-humor. She had no
standing in the family as well as in the society. She had no
control of her body and her physical mobility. She could not
contribute to her family decision-making and only worked for
her family as a maidservant. It was a very frustrating situation
for me and I could not sleep for several nights in mental
agony, says Jyotsna. She had no consciousness about herself,
about her rights, capacities and potentials. She had no control
over resources. She faced violence not only from her husband
but also from her in-laws. She was not aware of the importance
of education, healthcare, cleanliness and how to change the
fortune by hard working.
But being enrolled in Kalipur Mohila Samiti of BEES was a
breakthrough in her life. Without the help of BEES I might
not see me in this present lucky position expresses Jyotsna
with her full confidence. She now seems herself a successful
entrepreneur and is pleased with her position in the family and
society at the end of forty-five of her age.
From the very beginning, she was burdened with a heavy
family containing seven members. Then the earning member of
her family was only her husband who was running a small
business of selling jute bag. But the income was too nominal to
manage food for the large family. It was nearly impossible to
think about nutrition where the demand of food was difficult to

96

meet. She had only a small tin shed house, a capital worth
seven thousand taka. She had no sewing machine to run her
business. The situation began to be worsening as the children
were growing older. She was in need of someones help but she
didnt find anyone beside her. In that situation, she heard about
BEES from one of its field workers. She attended in a weekly
meeting of BEES Samiti and came to know all the possibilities
to develop her fortune.
She joined in BEES Samiti for serving some desires like, to
accumulate capital for running business, to increase savings
and to develop her knowledge about meaningful social and
political life.
I am satisfied with BEES support services, expresses
Jyotsna. It provided all the help she needed. It provided capital
for developing her business. She received loans for five times
amounting to total forty four thousand taka for enhancing her
jute bag selling business. From this she earns about thirty five
hundred taka per month which is about two thousand taka more
compared to her previous income before joining to BEES. Now
she has a sewing machine by which she makes all the bags in
her own hand.
Along with the jute bag selling business Jyotsna has bamboocages selling business, livestock and poultry rearing. She earns
Tk. 7,500 per month from jute bag and bamboo-cages selling
business. The most important achievement that made her
condition very convenient is the purchasing of ice-mill. It is
the greatest achievement in my life with the help of BEES

97

under micro credit program says Jyotsna. She also received a

loan amounting to taka ten thousand for launching a new
piscicultue project. Now her monthly income exceeds about
eleven thousand taka per month which is three times greater
than her previous income before joining in BEES Samiti.
At present, she is the owner of a handsome amount of savings
and other material properties. She has a capital amounting to
one lac taka and is the owner of a pucca tin-shade house, a
sanitary latrine, a tube well etc.
Nowadays she seems herself empowered in the family as well
as in the society. She has achieved an honorable standing in
both the places. Her husband values her. She can take decisions
and can participate in the planning process of family budget.
People call her in important social meetings and obey her
decisions. She has achieved control over resources, power
because of her knowledge which she acquired by being trained
in BEES Samiti on different issues like- training on sewing,
poultry and livestock rearing, handicraft, vegetable cultivation
etc.
Now she is conscious about her rights and duties. She
manipulates public opinion against giving dowry, violence
against women and early marriage of girl child. She is actively
participating in community development activities. She
encourages tree plantation, adult education etc. She mobilizes
greater awareness among the women to make free themselves
from being enclosed among the four walls and encourages
them to be involved in income generating activities. She

98

doesnt believe any more in superstitions. She believes in

equality between men and women.
All the knowledge Jyotsna achieved throughout the
participation in the training and support services of BEES. She
gets free health related consulting services from its skilled
professionals. She is now well acknowledged about the healthy
life style.
The most important thing she demonstrates is that she has
made a challenge to the traditional values and religious belief.
She has proved that every obstacle can be overcome by
perseverance, diligence, honesty, ambition and hard work. All
these attributes she has gained through participating in BEES
activities.

99

Honest Efforts
Can Bring Happiness
Now she leads a happy life being attached with BEES. But the
scenario was different eight years ago. She and her husband
had to go through hardship along with four children.
Sreemoti Rekha Rani age 40 of Sadullapur village of Shibganj
upazila under Bogra district was married to Sree Ranjan Kumar
Das when she was only sixteen. They were four brothers and
sisters. Due to strain of poverty her parents settled her marriage
early. The financial condition of her husband was also very

100

harsh. So she couldn't find any difference in the living

standard.
My parents were illiterate and we were not allowed to go for
higher studies. I studied up to class five. I and my husband
managed job of typist at Shibganj Water Development Board.
The salary was very low. It was too difficult for us to bear all
the expenses of the family with little income. Moreover, I had
an ambition of giving my children higher education. So I was
in mental pressure how to improve our financial condition,"
narrates Rekha.
"One day Field Organizer Sharmeen Nahar Apa came to our
village Sadullapur. She sat with village women and discussed
about BEES activities. We were encouraged by her speech as
it seemed from her words that BEES poverty alleviation drive
is very much benefiting for an overall development of the poor.
At that night I talked to my husband and he gave his consent to
be involved with BEES group"
That was how Rekha started her journey towards achieving
success. She has been continuing her membership of the group
for the last eight years and received loans from the organization
for seven times. She started cultivating vegetables with the
credits that BEES provided. At first she took Tk 2,000 and
started cultivating summer vegetables. Next year she received
Tk 4,000 for potato cultivation. In that way she took loans for
several times. She also started to rear cows, goats and poultry.
In eight years she received about Tk. 54,000 as credit from
BEES. In the meantime she paid off Tk. 44,400 of her total
loan. She worked hard and used the loan in deferent projects.
Now her monthly income is about Tk. 8,000 per month.

101

It is her honest efforts, self-confidence which have opened the

path of success. Rekha says, "Now I have cows, goats and lots
of poultry. Previously I had a single room. But now I have built
two rooms made of bricks with tin roof and bought five
bighas (165 decimals) of land."
She has four children. She married off her two daughters. Her
eldest son is doing MSc in botany. Her youngest son does not
study because he is a mental patient.
Rekha says, BEES encourages women to reduce malnutrition
at family level and to empower them through income
generation from different sources. It also helps us to understand
gender issue, primary health care, healthy sanitation system
etc. Actually BEES has completely changed the previous status
of village women. Now we, the women do not have to depend
on only husband's income. We are empowered socially and
economically."

102

Farida Finds a Better

Meaning of Life
Mst. Farida Begum, a woman at early thirties from West
Nutmaricha village of Shibganj upazila of Bogra district has
been able to get over bad time by means of entrepreseurship.
Farida Begum's husband Abu Zafar used to be a day laborer.
Farida herself had no means of extra earning. Therefore the
little income of her husband at the end of whole day's hard
labor meant to be too little to run the family. Faridas was a
struggle with mighty poverty while hunger, shabby clothes,
torn house were her constant oppressors. In a society where
money is the main parameter of being evaluated, Farida

103

Begum's life was not only one of a stretching hardship but also
being treated as insignificant and neglected in society. Farida
remembers, My husband was a day laborer. Everyday he had
to work to earn a living. But some days even finding work was
very hard and those days meant uncertainty and hunger. We
could not visualize any future, just only keeping us alive. I
have three children, one son and two daughters. Although the
children needed nutritious food, decent clothing but those were
out of our reach. I could not even manage regular meals for the
family every day. This situation was really unbearable but I did
not know how to find an escape rout. I wished I could have
been of some help to upgrade the family economy. But besides
povertys ruthless threats there were other problems too. My
position in the family was a subordinate one. My husband
dominated the family decisions. Therefore I dared not speak
out to establish my voice, that I wanted to do something. Then
I came to know from a member of Natmaricha Purbapara
Mahila Samiti, that easy interest loan could be availed from
BEES by becoming a group member.
I then had a talk with the Field Extension Worker of BEES
along with some other women. She explained to us overall
mechanism, rules, regulations of the micro credit program. I
was hundred percent motivated.
It was really a good scope for me. Because the high interest
loan from the usurers in our village were also conditional. Even
gold or land required to be mortgaged. Naturally it was quite
out of my reach, and I also didn't think it was a good idea to
take one such loan to do some income generation business. It
seemed to me that in that process the total profit would go to
the usurers and it may even cost one ones asset. However,

104

with the intention of changing my financial status I became a

member of West Natmaricha Mohila Samiti of BEES. The
group activities have helped me to bring a substantial change in
my life.
For Farida Begum the involvement was not so easy. Although
it was Farida's prior concern to eradicate the poverty of the
family by any means, but when the question of involvement in
an NGO group arose, her father-in-law was not happy. Besides,
Farida was not only a member of the group but she was the
group leader. Naturally as a group leader she had to play very
active role in organizing the weekly group meetings at her
household. It made her father-in-law more unhappy. He gave
objection to Farida's such activity on the ground of purdah,
since she was a housewife. But Farida's support was her
husband. Despite her father-in-law's objection Farida kept on
taking active part in the group activities. As a result Farida has
come far away from her previous state. Now she has raised
herself up to a much higher standard financially, culturally,
socially, politically and spiritually. Farida says, Being a
member of BEES group I have finally been able to bid farewell
to my poverty stricken days. I have been receiving loans from
BEES year after year which I have invested in diversified
initiatives. At first I bought a goat. I earned some money
raising and selling the kids of the goat. Then I bought a cow.
Selling the milk of the cow I have been earning a considerable
amount of money. I have set up a betel-leaf plantation, which is
bringing me good profit. Besides I cultivate vegetables and rear
poultry at my homestead. These ventures are also bringing me
some money and contributing in the family nutrition
fulfillment. My monthly income is now nearly Tk. 4,000. This
earning has brought better days to my family. I have built a

105

house to live in. Now we don't have to fight with hunger. My

children are taking nutritious food, wearing decent clothes,
going to school. My father-in-law is no more unhappy as he
has become convinced of the benefits of the group activities.
The solvency, a little extra after fulfillment of the family
necessities has added to Farida's happiness.
Fariada's transformation, what she thinks as regards her
awareness on many vital issues owes to BEES motivational
activities. Whereas Farida was nothing more than many
identical backward housewives from poor households, now she
has become a wise and conscious person.
She had known for generations that a woman's position was to
be subordinated in the family and society, that casting vote was
not her basic right that she did not have a voice in the family or
in the society. Now Farida emerges with a newly gained
knowledge, changing the entire scenario for her, playing a new
role. She can now cast her vote, make decision in the family,
give her opinion even in social arbitration and on many other
issues. It has been possible because of the orientation from and
active participation in different awareness raising programs of
BEES. Leadership quality has bloomed in Farida as she is
playing a very much active and outspoken role in organizing
the weekly group meeting at her place. She as a perfect leader
is maintaining group spirit among her group members. The
participation has helped Farida with basic knowledge on health
and she is also being benefited from the medical services of
BEES. Awareness on environment, benefits of road
communication, safe water supply, sanitation, gender equity
etc. has enriched Farida's macrocosm.

106

Farida herself is very much conscious of her new role. Now

my group members, and my neighbors look upon me for
advices and opinions on many important issues. Whenever
there is injustice to my knowledge, I take every opportunity to
protest it, while it was unthinkable earlier. I advice many of my
acquaintances and relatives to follow my way to upgrade
themselves economically and as a conscious member of the
mankind, says an enlightened Farida. Farida is a spokesman
of sustainable women empowerment through micro-credit
integrated with a multi-dimensional support package.

107

Rina-- Leading Ahead of

the Darkest Despair
River erosion shattered Rina's households totally. Mst. Rina
Begum, 25 from Kanai Kanda village of Sherpur upazila of
Bogra district, had been married at the age of 15 to Alamgir
Hossain from Chowbaria village of Shahjadpur upazila of
Sirajganj district. But her conjugal life could not even bloom as
the river Jamuna devoured everything Alamgir had, the land,
the household, all. Penniless and without a means of livelihood,
Rina came back to her parents with her husband. Upon their
arrival, some obvious questions also arose, that how would
they get going, what would be their means of livelihood?

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Naturally it wasn't very pleasant for Rina to come back to her

parents and be considered as unwanted and burdensome. Rina
puts it like this, "My parents were not well-off. My husband
was unemployed and virtually we had nothing, no money, no
assets. When we came to live with our parents an unwanted
situation arose. I had to depend entirely on my parents even for
my clothes. It was not a relishing feeling for me. Only the wife
of an unemployed man knows how much uncertain and at the
same time embarrassing it feels to be so. I had to tolerate many
unpalatable words of my parents and others. I really needed
badly to find a means of livelihood for me and my husband.
My mother has been a group member of BEES since 1987. Not
only that, she is also the group leader of Kanai Kandar Mohila
Samiti. Therefore with her initiative and the recommendation
of other members I got involved in the group though at first I
faced some barriers to become a member since I did not have
anything to contribute. However after 8 weeks of my
involvement I received my first loan amounting Tk. 4,000.
With the money I set up a grocery shop at my house-door. I
have received loans from BEES four times and invested it in
my shop. The shop has proven to be very much profitable.
Rina, the young entrepreneur feels that she has found out the
ladder to climb up the stairs of establishing herself. Rina is
reaping the result of her all out effort and endeavors. She keeps
her shop open from 7'O clock in the morning till evening. She
sells out a variety of items, serving people, even by selling
items at credit. She has become a popular shopkeeper in their
locality and feels satisfaction over the fact that she is giving
some services to people while doing business. Meanwhile Rina
Begum's husband has started a job at Chandai Kona of
Sirajganj as a weaver. He goes to work in the morning and

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comes back in the evening. Therefore Rina has to manage her

shop. Her husband also helps her through buying the sellable
items for the shop from the market on weekends. Now Rina
keeps items worth Tk. 5,000 at the shop. She sells items worth
Tk. 500 / 600 everyday at about 15%profit. She earns about Tk.
2,500-3,000 per month from the shop. She has to pay Tk. 500
per month as installments for loan repayment. Rina Begum is a
thrifty woman. She either saves the rest of her earnings or
invests it in her shop. She manages the family expenses with
her husbands income. Rina has also bought 5 decimals of land
from her profit and built a tin house to live in. Availing BEES
credit support for sanitary latrine Rina has set up a sanitary
latrine at her household. An overall development including
economic stability as well as basic awareness has changed
Rina's life substantially.
Now a happy and loving mother of a two year old girl Rina
Begum's life is full of contentment while only a few years back
life had been full of miseries for her. Rina now can extend
some financial help to her parents over her utter satisfaction.
Her shame, her embarrassment on being a burden on her
parents has been replaced by her scope to help them. Rina
Begum's rise has earned her a respectable position in the
society. When at first she started her shop, people did not
welcome the idea so easily. They talked ill of Rina, that it was
indecent for a woman to involve in a business like that, that it
was not acceptable to society etc. But Rina did not pay heed to
them and continued her pursuit with full earnest. Now the
success of Rina along with awareness and attitude has
convinced people of her overall development.

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Rina believes that BEES support has been the touchstone for
her success, BEES credit support has pulled me out of my
darkest despair. I owe greatly to BEES for the overall support,
the guideline, the capacity building, the different training and
advices, knowledge, awareness and various services like
medical services, seeds distribution etc. BEES has extended to
me. With BEES support and my endeavor and dedication I
have become sure of myself and leading a very happy life now.
I would like to keep up the spirt. I hope to keep up my business
and expand it in furture. I would like to buy some more land
here. In future with BEES credit support I want to buy a car. I
hope BEES will be there for us making ways so that the poor
people like us can smile their heart out breaking the evil spell
of poverty.

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Hasina, the Hardy Woman

Twelve years ago Hasina got married with Mohammad
Hossain. Their financial condition was very adverse. There was
no satisfactory source of income. Her husband worked in a
shoe factory. He had no business of his own. They had only a
shanty tin-roofed room. The worn out tiny house symbolized
their miserable life in poverty. Days passed with utter scarcity
of food. Years have gone by without any sign of happiness
during the phase.
Suddenly, in 1998, Hasina came into contact with a BEES
group in her locality in Bhoirab thana under Brahmanbaria

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district. She was inspired seeing the group and its entire
activities. The impact of the group exercise and the unity
among the group members impressed her a lot. She sat for a
discussion with her neighbors, and formed a group. Forming
the group, they named it Jagannathpur Mahila Samiti.
Henceforth, by receiving facilities from BEES she is trying to
uplift her life status.
Hasina continued her study upto class eight while her husband
can sign only. Hasina is an intelligent woman, and as she has
an educational background, she took the leading role in the
group. She has been carrying on her membership of the group
for the last four years and took loans from the organization for
four times. She helped her husband make a shoe factory for
himself and bought sewing machines for her own with the
credits that BEES provided.
At first she took Tk. 3,000 and gave this credit money to her
husband as a support to establish his shoe factory. Receiving
her first loan she deposited Tk. 10 per week to the group as
savings. Next year she received Tk. 5,000 as credit from BEES.
Afterwards, for the third time, she got Tk. 7,000 as loan from
BEES. With this loan money and from the profit of her
husbands business she bought two sewing machines and a
motor. And then she received Tk. 9,000 as her fourth loan this
year. Her husband took some money from this loan and added
it to his own profit of his business to purchase a machine for
his shoe factory with Tk. 8,000. She has been depositing Tk. 25
per week to the group as savings from just after receiving her

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second loan. Now she has a total savings of Tk. 4,000 in the
group.
Both Hasina and her husband go to the market to sell the
produced goods. They sell their goods in the markets of Sylhet,
Narsingdi and Brahmanbaria districts. Hasinas husband gives
value to her opinion while discussing about their business
policy. She gives advice to her husband to apply the technique
of bargaining to purchase goods at a lower cost and to sell at a
higher price. She has learnt about the economics of scale and in
the light of this knowledge she gives advice to her husband.
Hence he has the initiative to reduce expenses. He is used to
buy goods at a cheap rate comparing the rates of different
stores and sometimes of different markets too. They buy more
goods at a time to get facilities of discount, which they could
not do earlier due to less capital.
Earlier Hasinas husband had no shoe-factory of his own. He
had to work for others factory. Now he is being able to have
stability of his personal shoe business standing on his own feet.
Hasina helps her husband in the factory. Both of them work
together in the factory. Moreover, after achieving solvency,
they employed five workers for their factory creating
employment generation.
Hasina has become economically valuable for the family. She,
being a member of BEES, herself has become an earning
member. She is earning from her tailoring business and thus
trying to enrich the moneyline of the family. She is now very
conscious for earning solvency for the upliftment of her family.
She is committed to properly bring their children up. She has a

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girl and a boy. The girl is eight. She is reading in class one.
Earlier for poverty Hasina could not send her girl to any school
at the proper age. But now she is able to bear the expenses of
her childs education. Her boy is at the age of three-and-a-half
year. She is thinking of sending this child to a school next year.
After her becoming a member of BEES, they enjoy more
solvent life. Earlier their monthly income was Tk. 3,000 only,
which only the breadwinner, her husband, earned from his
working in shoe-factory of other person. But they had to spend
Tk. 4,175. So they had nothing but to borrow from relatives or
neighbors or any other moneylenders. This was an extra burden
for them. But BEES helped them raise their income upto Tk.
8,000, made Hasina and her husband self-dependent and made
them free from the moneylenders. As an impact of their
increased income, their monthly expenditure has also increased
dramatically. In the former period, they spent Tk. 4,175 per
month, while now they can spend Tk. 7,375 in a month.
Monthly Income
Sources of Income

Previous

Present

Business

8000

Services

3000

Total

3000

8000

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Monthly Expenditure
Heads of Expenditure

Previous

Present

Food

2700

3300

Cloth

275

475

Health

700

1200

400

500

2000

4175

7275

Education
Entertainments & Others
Total

Hardships are withering away gradually. Now they have the

ability to have balanced diet. Protein has become common in
their daily food habit. They eat meat three days a week, fish
four days, milk and egg daily. From the profit of their business
during the period of last four years, after being associated to
the BEES group, they have enlarged their cottage; electrified
the house; bought a TV, a radio, an almirah, a showcase, a bed
and a fan. Becoming a member of BEES, Hasina bought a
tube-well from the profit of her business and they are using it
for all purposes.
The credit from BEES, their hard working, and sound income
have paved the way for a contented life in the family.

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