Ms. Manowara Begum, a resident of Char Kashimpur village of Paikpara Union of Rajoir Upazila
under Madaripur District lost her father when she was only three years old. As a child, she grew up
in extreme poverty in her elder brother’s household. Manowara Begum could not receive any formal
education due to poor financial condition.At the age of 18, she was married to Shaheed Howladar.
After coming to this world as a bride 30 years ago with golden dreams, only poverty stood as an
obstacle in front of her. There was not even a small tin house for the husband, wife and sick motherin-law to live together. On request of Manowara Begum, her uncle-in-law gave them only two kathas
of land to live in, where she started living there by building a house with jute fence and tin roof. Her
husband had to work as a day laborer in other people’s houses to support the family. Meanwhile,
two sons were born. The two boys grew up and the household expenses increased.In this situation,
a neighbor advised her husband to drive a van and raise poultry and goats. But to realize this dream,
cash is needed. At that time, through one of her relatives from the neighboring house, Manowara
Begum came into contact with an organization called “Gono Unnayan Prochesta” at Sindiaghat.
Then, Manowara Begum got the membership of Char Kashimpur Kalyan Mohila Samity on 12-10-
2009, whose Samity Code- 1018 and Member Code-1173. After becoming a member, Manowara
Begum started accumulating savings and applied for a loan a month later. The branch manager
made a pre-loan assessment on her application and granted her a loan of Tk. 30,000 (Taka Thirty
Thousand) for poultry farming and purchase of a foot-operated van. With this money she bought a
van for her husband, a goat and some chickens for rearing. Her husband Shaheed Hawladar used to
transport people’s goods instead of bringing people in the van, so the income was relatively higher
than the other van pullers. Her husband also helps her in goat and poultry rearing.
In addition to taking general loans nine times, she started cultivating Tomatoes, Bitter gourds,
Shrimps, Cucumbers with the aim of increasing her source of income by taking six-month term
‘Suphalon’ loans. Produced vegetables are also bought at home by the wholesalers and retailers,
and sometimes sold in local markets.
11 ANNUAL REPORT
July 2021 – June 2022
Rabey Begum : Profile of an ‘Ideal Farmer’
Rabeya Begum is a poor housewife of Sonamoyi village of Chandra Union of Bhanga Upazila of
Faridpur District. Her life was burdened with interest imposed by the local money lender. She had no
choice but to leave Sonamayi village in the dark of night; and at that time, Sabina Begum, chairman
of Sonamoyi Sheikh Bari Women’s Samity (No. 1029) introduced her to the field organizer of GUP. On
his advice, she accepted the membership of this Samity on 3 October, 2018. Then she took a loan
of Tk. 30,000 (Taka Thirty Thousand) for the first time for the purpose of agricultural work following
the rules of the organization. Rabeya’s husband Razzak Mia was skilled in agricultural work. With the
money, the Rabeya couple leased two bighas of land and in the same year cultivated onions on half
of the land and planted onions on half of the land for onion seeds.
Thus, through hard work, Manowara Begum bought a twenty-four khata residential land and herself
built two tin houses. She has installed deep tube wells for safe drinking water for household use,
used sanitary latrines. Unfortunately, the only earner in the family, her husband suddenly broke
his arm in a road accident and when the matter was reported to the GUP Sindiaghat branch
office, the organization waived off the balance of their loan Tk. 20,000 (Taka Twenty Thousand).
Her current monthly income from poultry, goat rearing and vegetable farming is approximately Tk.
50,000-60,000. Now her husband does not have to work in other’s house. She took a general loan
of Tk.30,000 (Taka Thirty Thousand) and also a half-yearly ‘Sufalon’ loan of Tk.30,000 (Taka Thirty
Thousand) with which she set up a fertilizer and pesticide shop for her elder son. She bought two
bigha of crop land with the money earned. She hopes to buy a microbus for her younger son in the
future. Manowara Begum said:
“Once I could not properly feed the mouths of everyone in the family. There has
been a change in fortunes in cooperation and development advice from GUP. I
became independent. I am now able to provide employment to seven people
with the money earned from my business and farming”
How Manowara Begum could change her destiny
