Bringing Hope through Building Potential Partnership

Fatema Begum is a member of Surjokona Mohila Unnon Cooperative Shomity, which is a follow-up Cooperative Shomity of Community Empowerment Project (CEP) – Gouripur, Mymensingh. Fatema Begum is a widowed woman – who lives at Surjokona village in Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh District. She has three daughters – the eldest daughter Suma Akter already got married, the second daughter Jhuma Akter (15) attends class nine and the youngest daughter Afroja Akter (9) is attending class four.

Fatema Begum is an active member of Surjokona Women’s Development Shomity. She deposits savings on a regular basis. She took two times loans from the Shomity and purchased raw materials for preparing handicrafts and a cow for rearing. Her husband had a grocery shop. She was maintaining her family harmoniously.

“Suddenly, I lost my husband and I fall into big trouble. I don’t have any lands for cultivation except my homestead. My husband was the breadwinner of my family. I had to sell all of my belongings in terms of maintaining the treatment cost for my husband. I took a loan of BDT 20,000.00 from the Shomity when my husband was alive. I could only pay two installments of the loan. Now, I have no income and it has become impossible for me to repay the loan,” Fatema was describing about her struggle.

In this life-threatening situation, ADRA Bangladesh stands beside her and tries to link with Govt. NGOs and elite people to ensure different assistance as well as financial support. As a result, the inspector of the Co-operative Department of Gouripur, Mymensingh took responsibility to refund the loan on monthly basis on behalf of her. One of the local NGOs Palli Prottasha donated BDT 5,000.00 for purchasing raw materials for preparing handicrafts. Apart from this, two elite persons agreed to support her on monthly basis for maintaining the educational expenses of her two daughters. She is also getting support from Social Safety Net program.

“I’m grateful to ADRA Bangladesh because they play a supportive role in my life which promotes inter-relationship among persons, communities, NGOs, and local govt. I wish to lead a normal life along with my children with honor and dignity in the society,” Fatema showed gratitude towards ADRA Bangladesh.