RANGPUR, Feb 11, 2020 (BSS) – More than one-lakh rural women have empowered them visibly by achieving self-reliance through their hard endeavours in remote areas of Rangpur region.
According to officials and development exerts, rural women have successfully overcome the hurdles of extreme poverty with assistance of the social safety net programmes (SSNPs in all five districts of greater Rangpur in last eleven years.
“The change in socio-economic conditions of rural women also contributes to attain sustainable development goals (SDGs),” said Chairman of Rangpur-based research organisation ‘Northbengal Institute of Development Studies’ Dr. Syed Samsuzzaman.
The rural women achieved self-reliance through various income generating activities (IGAs) with comprehensive GO-NGO interventions enhancing their empowerment.
Development expert and Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh said inclusive GO-NGO-private sector initiatives assisted rural women in improving socio-economic conditions through various IGAs.
They have achieved self- reliance through small-scale enterprises, businesses, cottage industries, sewing, micro-credit activities, homestead farming, rearing poultry birds, animals and other IGAs.
“Under diverse programmes of RDRS Bangladesh being run with the assistance of the government of donor organisations, some 30,000 rural women are leading solvent life though they had to live in utter misery in the past, Rashid added.
Talking to BSS, rural woman Moyna Rani of village Baraipara in Rangpur Sadar upazila said she achieved self- reliance through small scale business, animal husbandry, rearing poultry birds, homestead gardening and other agri-activities.
Feroza Khatun of Purbo Kochua-1 Asrayan Prokalpo in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur said after her rehabilitation there, she got shelter, training and microcredit in phases when she bought three heifers and opened a grocery shop to lead a better life now.
Rural women Tahuza Begum and Sufia Begum of village Sarkerpara in Nilphamari Sadar upazila said they got Taka 8,000 each as interest free loans from the SETU project nine years back and invested in off-farm businesses and IGAs.
“Like all other 116 SETU project beneficiary poor women of our village, we are earning well to lead improved life and our children are going to schools,” said Sufia.
Talking to BSS, Monwara Khatun of village Chhatas Chawrabari in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur said she began journey with rearing only one cow.
Later, she got necessary training and inputs from different government departments and loans from the Milk Vita and BRAC Bank and expanded her farm every year.
“Currently, she has 15 cows which give 140 kilogram of milk daily worth Taka 7,000 and ten pregnant cows those will give birth to heifers and produce milk soon,” said Monwara, adding that she is leading a solvent life with her family members.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director Dilgir Alam of the Department of Youth Development for Rangpur said some 4,000 unemployed female youths were provided with training on various trades and interest-free loans, to make them self-reliant in the district alone.
Rangpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer ATM Akhteruzzaman said implementation of Test Relief, Food for Work, Works for Taka, Vulnerable Group Feeding and other programmes have improved economic conditions of rural women.
Deputy Director of the District Women Affairs Office for Rangpur Kawser Parveen said some 12,000 women have achieved self-reliance through IGAs and properly utilising allowances distributed among them to improve livelihoods.
Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Zakir Hossain said implementation of massive SSNPs and other initiatives has improved livelihoods of rural women making their empowerment visible.