100 women and families in hills to become self-reliant

From Rania in Teknaf to Asiya in Tetulia, many women are now doing well. Their families have regained financial stability, and women like Rania and Asia are becoming self-reliant.

More than 3,000 women in different parts of the country have become self-reliant with training and sewing machines provided with support from Bashundhara Group. They are now trying to support their families with their own earnings.

As part of the initiative, Bashundhara Shuvosangho recently provided sewing machines to 100 disadvantaged women in five upazilas of Bandarban after providing them with sewing training.

The distribution began in Lama upazila, followed by Alikadam, Bandarban Sadar and Rowangchhari. The final programme took place in remote Ruma upazila.

The Bashundhara Shuvosangho team travelled from Dhaka along steep and winding hill roads to Munlai community Cultural Centre in Ruma, recognised as one of Bangladesh’s cleanest villages, to distribute the sewing machines.

At the programme, Bashundhara Shuvosangho handed over sewing machines to 20 women from different age groups, including members of ethnic minority communities and Bangali women. Each recipient also received two tree saplings.

Ruma Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Manas Barua, Upazila Women Affairs Officer Md Jabed Rouzan, Ruma Agrabangsha Orphanage Director Naindya Ther, local community chief and BNP leaders attended the programme.

A new hope for women in the hills

Opportunities for education and employment remain limited in the remote, hill-surrounded areas of Ruma upazila. Many women continue to struggle to earn a living and pursue their education amid financial hardship.

Local people believe the initiative by Bashundhara Shuvosangho will play a positive role in creating self-employment opportunities for disadvantaged women while also promoting environmental conservation.

Naiuching Marma, who grew up at the Agrabangsha Orphanage in Ruma, lost both her parents at an early age. She studied at the orphanage and now wants to build a life of her own.

After receiving sewing training and a sewing machine from Bashundhara Shuvosangho, she has found renewed hope of becoming self-reliant.

“I grew up in the orphanage from an early age. This sewing machine has given me greater courage to stand on my own feet,” Naiuching said.

Chamaya Mro also received a sewing machine at the programme. Her father, Menoyang Mro, has died, while her mother suffers from mental illness.

Chamaya and her sister support their family through jhum cultivation while she continues her honours studies at Bandarban Government College.

She said the sewing machine would create a new source of income for her and help her continue her studies.

“It will create a new source of income for me and help me continue my studies. I am very grateful to Bashundhara Group,” she said.

Ruma Police Station OC Manas Barua described the distribution of sewing machines to disadvantaged women in the remote area as a humanitarian and commendable initiative taken at the initiative of the Bashundhara Group chairman.

“Through this initiative, women will have opportunities for self-employment and will be able to play an important role in improving their families’ financial condition,” he said.

“On behalf of the people of Ruma, I sincerely thank Bashundhara Group for this noble initiative. I hope they will continue such welfare activities in the future and work to make rural women self-reliant,” he added.

Upazila Women Affairs Officer Md Jabed Rouzan said the sewing training and machine distribution programme was a noble and timely initiative.

“Through this initiative, women are gaining skills as well as opportunities for employment, which will help them become economically self-reliant,” he said.

“On behalf of the Department of Women Affairs, I sincerely thank Bashundhara Group for taking such a welfare initiative. I hope they will continue similar programmes for women’s empowerment and social welfare in the future,” he added.

Ruma Agrabangsha Orphanage Director Naindya Ther thanked Bashundhara Group for providing sewing training and machines to disadvantaged women in the upazila.

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“By standing beside people in this remote area, Bashundhara Group has set a truly commendable example of humanity. Through this training, women and adolescent girls will acquire skills and gain opportunities for self-employment,” he said.

He added that the initiative would help reduce unemployment and enable women to contribute to their families’ financial development.

“May Bashundhara Shuvosangho continue such welfare activities in the future,” he said.