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Credit facilities may change poor women’s lifestyle

Md. Sazedul Islam Amena Begum, a widow now aged about 60, fell in great trouble after her husband Aiyub Ali died about 20 years back. Resident of Siddhi village in Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj, she went to her brother in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila along with two sons after demise of her husband. As her poor brother failed to give her necessary support, she had to earn her livelihood by working as domestic help at other's house. She was so helpless that she had nothing to support her financially. In our society, generally poor people do not get financial assistance from their relatives and other sources due to their poor economic condition. The case of Amena Begum was not so different. When her husband was alive, her economic condition was not good, but the death of her day labourer husband brought more sufferings for her. She was the one of the ultra poor whose sufferings know no bound. Her two sons were minor age, hence they were not fit for earning. Working as domestic help at other's house bring her some money, but it did not fully meet her family's requirements. With the money earned from her works, she somehow managed three time meals a day, but the meager money did not meet other demands of life such as health, buying dress. As her days were being passed amid financial hardship, one day she was introduced with staff of BRAC ultra poor project one year back. The BRAC team found her ultra-poor with almost none to support her. After a careful scrutiny and verification, the BRAC project team identified her as ultra-poor and brought her under their ultra poor project assistance. BRAC project gave her Tk 9,100 as allowance for buying food for a year. This amount of money is spent for a household, which has not given directly to them. Instead of giving total money directly to their hands in weekly basis they are provided rice and lentil and some cash money from the portion of their daily allowances. From this project Amena was provided land for starting a nursery. They leased 10 decimal of land for her so that she could become self-dependent by cultivating the land. She was also given training for tilling the land. Various agriculture inputs such as seeds, fertilizer, insecticide, were given to her. The old woman herself prepared the land, planted seeds of different plants, including vegetables. She had left no place vacant on the 10 decimal of land. She planted seeds of 22/23 kinds fruit and medicinal plants and hoped to earn Tk one lakh soon. She spent Tk 7,887 and the price of the leased land was Tk 25,00. On spot visit, it was seen that the land she planted different trees looked like a beautiful garden. Because, there were a number of flower trees alongside other green plants, which provided excellent scenery for any visitor. It was heartening to know that an ultra poor helpless woman created such a garden amid her hard struggle to be self-reliant. Anyone can be amazed and moved at seeing the garden. She also got a goat as grants from BRAC so that she can earn more money and maintain her life happily with the earned money. Earlier, she was helpless and no particular source of income and honour. Now she feels confident as she is self-reliant. She can earn money with honour. Her works not only bring money for but also contribute to country's economic development. The woman spends almost all the time in her works with utmost attention. Officials of BRAC project said the woman at her old age is very sincere and work hard all the day. The case study stated above described that anyone can be economically self-reliant if they are given necessary capital. If they are given necessary capital, required knowledge and skills and time to time supportive supervision. Nur Jahan, now aged at 50, wife of Abdul Karim, resident of Kathalia in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila, is another woman who was passing her days in great sufferings due to severe poverty in her family. She has one daughter and three sons and her husband is not fit for works as he is sick since long time. She used to live on the land owned by the elder brother of her husband. Her family has no land of their own landed property. Finding no other alternative, the woman started working as a domestic help at other's houses and used to maintain her poverty-stricken family from the meager earnings. Her three sons stay in other places and they do not help their parents financially, which added sufferings to their parent's family. An ultra poor project team of BRAC one day found and identified the woman as ultra-poor and came forward to support her by giving grants assistance, which is totally free. As grants of BRAC she received two cows, three CI sheets which are totally non refundable. She also received Tk 9,100 as daily allowance from the project assistance of brac for one year aimed at making self-sufficient and overcoming her poverty. BRAC also provided her other services, including health services and advice aimed at benefiting her. She said, they provided her practical training and helped her to be become literate. Brac project staff helped her to read books and write so that she could manage her own accounts. She got Tk 9,100 as food allowance and another Tk 14,717 for carrying out her income generating activities. The woman feels happy now and hope to earn money. She used to work as domestic helper at others house and lived with that support what she received, Now she earns money which helped her for maintaining her family. Earlier, she was destitute. This condition has changed now. She did not communicate with others earlier and used to confine her apparently due to abject poverty in her family. Now she mixes with other people and can express her feelings, which is a latest development after receiving training given by brac. It has brought about a dramatic change in her life. Earlier, she used to lead a secluded life. Now she collects saplings of different tre