Halima Begum – A Successful Entrepreneur

Community Empowerment Project (CEP) – Gouripur, Mymensingh of ADRA Bangladesh is playing an inevitable role in terms of transforming the lives of rural people across the country. CEP is focusing on diverse Income Generating Activities (IGA) by which the underprivileged community people can earn money to lead a better life.

Halima Begum – a mother of two children lives in Singjani village under Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh district. She has 20 decimals of cultivable lands. She has been getting around 650 Kgs of paddy from that land around the year. By selling that paddy in the local market, Halima earns around BDT 13,500.00 which isn’t sufficient to run her family.

Halima’s husband Md. Khorshed Ali is a day laborer. It’s very difficult to maintain a family comprised of four members with his poor income. Halima’s daughter is studying for BA and her son is preparing to sit for the SSC examination this year. Halima can’t afford the educational expenses for her children. Thus, she was compelled to take a loan of BDT 60,000.00 from a local organization to bear the educational expenses for her children.

“My frustration was deepening day by day by thinking of how could I repay the loan? I shared my agonies with one of my neighbors and she advised me to get in touch with ADRA. I went to visit the office of ADRA in our locality. I shared my distress and challenges with the ADRA authority. Then they suggested me to enroll in their Shomity,” Halima was describing how she was able to explore ADRA.

Halima enrolled in Singjani Mohila Unnayan Shomity group #7. She started participating in all the activities operated by the Community Empowerment Project (CEP) – Gouripur, Mymensingh of ADRA Bangladesh. She started depositing savings in her group.

“After a few days, I shared my family problems with our group authority. Then they advised me to take a loan from the group and start a small handicrafts business. Then I took a loan of BDT 5,000.00 from the group by following the group rules and regulations. I started preparing various types of handicrafts using bamboo,” Halima was unfolding the journey of her new business.

Halima was selling her handicrafts in the nearest market. She was earning a good sum of money per month by selling those crafts. She was repaying her loan from her income. Gradually, she started to assist her husband financially.

Now, Halima can afford the educational expense for her children and can arrange three meals daily. “I never sit idle. I engage in different types of income-generating activities round the year. I’m delighted and I would like to thank ADRA Bangladesh to help to change my life,” Halima showed her gratitude towards ADRA in Bangladesh.