Mir Khairul Alam from Satkhira:

Despite several natural disasters like dam collapse, salinity and cyclone, many women of coastal areas in Satkhira district have changed their lot by rearing goats and cultivating vegetables on their courtyards.

Many of them have already become self-reliant in those manners.

Due to the saline water and salty soil in Shyamnagar and Asashuni upazilas of the coastal district of Satkhira, male members of the poor and ultra poor families mainly earn their living by working at brick kilns, fishing in the deep sea and pulling rickshaws at various towns of the country including the capital city Dhaka. As a result, the women of the families depending on the men have to wait day after day to get their necessities. This waiting time is heavier compared to the natural disasters that hit the coastal areas every year.

In the current changing times, women in these regions are strengthening their position in the family and are also playing an important role in the social arena. With the support of Friendship, an NGO, the women of the two upazilas have now become self-reliant and economically prosperous.

Through the Transitional Fund Project (ASD), 361 families in 12 villages of Anuliar Bichhat, Kakbashia, Dakshin Eksara, Pratapnagar, Chakla, Kurikahania in Asashuni upazila and West Patakhali, Dakshin Jhapa, Sonakhali, Chandipur and Kolbari Datinakhali Chunar village of Padmapukur union in Shyamnagar upazila were provided with 24 types of summer and winter vegetable seeds on a seasonal basis to cultivate in saline lands. Besides, training was provided to active housewives to improve the quality of life by rearing goats and sheep.

In addition, the organization supports to use of organic fertilizers and pheromone traps instead of chemical fertilizers in vegetable cultivation. Moreover, Friendship’s ASD project has encouraged vegetable cultivation in the loft and bed system so that vegetable production continues even during disasters.

Currently, ginger cultivation in sacks is being encouraged in every house of coastal areas to earn additional money for the families.

Photo: TDS

Lutfa Begum of the Chunar Ashra project in Burigoalini Union said that, “Once, my family used to depend on my husband’s income. With the help of Friendship, I have started cultivating vegetables in the courtyard of my house. After fulfilling my regular demands, I sell the vegetables to local market and earn about Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 in a season.

Currently, I have started cultivating vegetables in the courtyard of my house and the adjacent land on a large scale. Now, I can provide financial contribution to my family, which makes my husband happier than the earlier. I am now able to pay some of the expenses of my child’s education.

Sabita Rani, wife of Tapan Kumar Mandal of Dakshin Jhampa village in Padmapukur Union, said that, “I was dependent on my husband, the only earner in my poor family. So, I used to catch shrimp fry in the river taking risk of life. Currently, I have become self-sufficient by rearing sheep and cultivating vegetables on my home yard. Now, I don’t need to take money from my husband. I can meet my needs with my own earnings.”

Sufia Khatun, a widow of Patakhali village in the same union said that, “I fell into trouble and became very helpless after passing away of my husband, who was the only earner in the poor family. Currently, I have started rearing goats and sheep provided by Friendship and have become highly benefited from it. From one goat and one sheep, I have become the owner of 13 goats and sheep. From that, I sold six goats together and have set up a point in a pond next to my house to produce soft crabs. I no longer allow my solo son to go to the Sundarbans.

Shyamnagar Upazila Chairman SM Ataul Haque Dolon said that, “Most of the people in my area are poor. They are mainly dependent on the Sundarbans or brick kilns. Currently, women are contributing to their families’ income due to support of Friendship.”

Burigoalini Union Parishad Chairman Nazrul Islam said that, “Women used to collect shrimp fry in the water-bodies of the Sundarbans taking life risk. They used to get infected with various diseases including cervical cancer. Now they cultivate vegetables in the wastelands of their houses. As a result, the number of disease affected has come to reduce.”

Shyamnagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Nazmul Huda said that, “Friendship has distributed improved varieties of vegetable seeds in the saline areas. We have already trained women with the modern farming techniques.”

Shyamnagar Upazila Animal Husbandry Surgeon Dr. Subrata Kumar Biswas said that, “Friendship distributes free goats, sheep and rabbits. We have to arrange training and vaccination programmes on modern livestock farming methods in these areas quickly.”

Friendship Transitional Fund (ASD) Project Manager Jewel Hasan said that, “Friendship is working towards economic development, good governance and local infrastructure development by regularizing the income of its members with the help of Luxembourg. The main goal of this project is to eliminate poverty and improve the quality of life and livelihoods of extremely poor families through creating income-generating work opportunities and a disaster-resilient active social system.”