Bringing Hope through Micro-credit
Safaly is 35 years old housewife and lives with her husband Md. Salam and three children in Tatirpaya village under Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh district. Through some neighbors, Safaly found out about Tatirpaya Mohila Shomity. She was suspicious about the idea of the program, decided to simply attend a meeting. In fact, she had no idea how it would impact her life.
“I was invited by some of my neighbors who were already members of the Tatirpaya Mohila Shomity of ADRA Bangladesh to attend a meeting. I had my doubts for a minute, but then I understood that there’s nothing to lose. I can go just to listen and see if it’s really compatible,” said Safaly.
Safaly's husband was a mason but he was very lazy as he used to spend time by gossiping with his friends. He used to work hard only 3 to 4 months in a year because of his laziness. He was able to contribute only 6,000 to 7,000 taka per month which was not enough to run a family of five members. With this little money, making ends meet was difficult for them.
In the year of 2012, Safaly joined Tatirpaya Mohila Shomity of ADRA Bangladesh. She heard about all of the ways the women have benefited from the micro-credit program, and she fell in love with the program right away. Soon she started to deposit money every week. She got sewing training from the Shomity. She took her first loan of 6,000 taka and bought a sewing machine. Very soon she repaid the loan from her income by sewing work. Then, she took the second loan of 5,000 taka and purchased some clothes. Besides her sewing work, Safaly started drapery in her house and deposited some extra money so that she could purchase some cultivable land in the future as they had a house only but did not have any cultivable lands. Her Income increased to 8,000 taka per month from sewing work and drapery.
“In the meantime, my husband realized that he should help me. He decided to do something of his own. We both discussed a lot and finally decided that I will make dresses and my husband will sell those dresses by peddling from door to door. Now, he is working hard with me”, said Safaly.
After two years, Safaly took 30 decimals of cultivable lands as mortgage by 1,00,000 taka. She got 1600 kg paddies from that land. After some days she purchased 10 decimals of cultivable lands by 54,000 taka. End of that year Safaly had harvested 800 kg paddies from that 10 decimals of land. At present, it's market value is 60,000 taka. Subsequently, she took the third loan from Tatirpaya Mohila Shomity of 20,000 taka for purchasing a cow and she bought a cow by 28,000 taka. Now, Safaly is feeding and educating her three children flawlessly from the income of her lands and is looking forward to harvesting more crops.
Not too long ago, the couple struggled to make ends meet and worried about taking care of their three children. Today, Safaly is a vital earner for her family and helps to fulfill the needs of her three children. “I am helping to meet my family's expenditures. We have now assets of 3,00,000 taka approximately. This dream has come true for gaining financial literacy,” said Safaly confidently.
“The loans have helped me a lot. I was able to help my three children to continue their studies, and they are going to school without facing any obstacles. My son is now studying at grade eight and elder daughter is studying at grade two while my younger daughter is only two years old,” Safaly was stating the educational status of her children.
Safaly believes, perhaps there will be a time when her husband doesn’t have to walk door-to-door. They will have a boutique in their home. She has a dream of having her own boutique. “I want to thank all the good-hearted people who are supporting me from my beginning as an entrepreneur,” Safaly had shown her gratitude to the Shomity.
