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The widow Anwara Begum once used to think that possibly she will be defeated in her struggle to earn her livelihood and ultimately may breathe her last through the struggle against hunger and poverty. However, she was not defeated. She was successful in protecting her family from hunger and poverty as a result of her patience, perseverance and toil for survival. Now she is established in society and she does not have to move from door to door for her bread and butter, depending on the mercy of others for the food of her children. Rather, she helps others and it is a wonder to her how she could overcome the pangs of her earlier poverty stricken life. Anwara was married to a poor man from the village of Purba Algar Char of Arendabari Union under Fulchhari Upazila in the district of Gaibandha. Her father’s house was located in the village of Dacatiar Char of the same Union. Her father Kalam Mia was also a very poor man. Anwara dreamt of having a husband with whom she might spend days happily, beyond the grasp of poverty. But when she reached her husband’s house after the marriage at an early age, she realized her dream was not to become reality. Her husband, Shukur Ali, was also a poor day labourer like her father. After the marriage, she and her husband had to start their life being separated from the family, possessing only a small hut, a small piece of land, a scythe and a spade given by Anwara’s father-in-law. As a result, she could eat only if her husband got any daily employment and she often had to remain half-fed.
With the passage of time, Anwara became the mother of one son, Vixmu, and two daughters, Kohinur and Razia. The increase in family size made life even more difficult. Later, Anwara’s husband fell sick and died leaving her and three children behind in a state of despair. However, Anwara got her son employed in the house of a farmer. He went to live with his employer. She found herself and her daughters facing a life of misery and frustration. As she reached the age of 40, she could not think of marrying further, leaving her daughters with no-one to take care of them.
Anwara Begum then started to find out ways of standing on her own feet and fortunately got the opportunity to become one of the beneficiaries of Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP) through the NGO Gono Unnayon Kendra (GUK). This organization trained her in many income-generating activities and encouraged her to be self- reliant, which led her to dream of a happy life again. Through the CLP’s Asset Transfer Programme, she received a heifer. In due course this heifer gave birth to two calves. After some time, when the calves were grown up, she sold one and with the proceeds she developed her house and purchased a goat. She started homestead vegetable gardening and gradually became financially solvent by selling milk and vegetables. At present, she possesses three cows, eleven goats and a few chickens. She has now taken two bighas of land on lease; her son has returned from the house of his employer and they are cultivating the leased land together. Her daughters now attend school.
Anwara Begum now sees the ray of happiness and has achieved a prestigious position in her society. She needs not to go and stand in the queue for any relief. She is regarded as a success by her neighbours and she is a bright example to others of becoming self- reliant as a result of her personality and hard work. Now she leads a happy life along with her children and dreams of going even further along the path to stability, security and happiness.
(Translated from Jugantor 14/02/10, an article by Gobinda Lal Das)
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