The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

Around 1.62 lakh populations of 37,640 slum- families in the metropolis are afoot to self-reliant through various income-generating activities.

The distressed families, who struggled with poverty for a long, lastly achieved economic self-reliance and well-being by adopting the money-making activities through their own initiatives, planning and resource mobilization.

Town Manager of Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction Project (UPPRP) under Rajshahi City Corporation Golam Mostafa told BSS that the slum- population have been brought under the income-oriented activities through formation of 102 Community Development Committees (CDC).

Earlier, they formed 1,122 primary groups with their own initiatives and selected their modes of earning like small business, agriculture, poultry and dairy. By themselves, the CDC members formed savings of Taka 2.92 crore while disbursed loan of Taka 9.86 crore among the members for income generation till October last.

Apart from this, they realized Taka 5.69 crore as loan and around Taka 1.02 crore as service charge of disbursed loan.

Under the infrastructure development component, they constructed 7399 sanitary latrines, 902 deepset tubewells, 28.5- kilometer footpath and six-kilometer mini-drain along with fund formation of Taka 1.05 crore for maintenance of the developed infrastructures.

Golam Mostofa said that the project has provided technical and financial support to the beneficiaries but the main works like improving their livelihoods and living conditions were done by themselves.

Rehena Sharmin, 24, a resident of Meherchandi Purbapara slum of Rajshahi city. She is the fourth among four brothers and two sisters. She couldn't participate in the SSC examination due to poverty.

In early 2004, she involves herself in the income-generating activities sponsored by the UPPRP being implemented with financial support from UNDP and DFID.

In the preliminary stage, she received loan of Taka 12,500 in two phases for poultry rearing. She becomes owner of a poultry and dairy composite farm along with homestead garden at present through her sincerity and consistency to the work. Now, she earns Taka 12,000 to Taka 15,000 from the income-sources every month.

Talking to BSS, Sharmin said the activity makes her aware about sustainable socio-economic and livelihood development side by side with the male.

In addition to making their eight-member family happy, she obtained HSC degree from Bangladesh Open University.

Sharmin conducted various lucrative programs competently after being trained on savings and credit management, leadership and gender.

By dint of competent leadership of Sharmin, savings of Meherchandi Purbapara CDC has been cumulated to Taka 3.76 lakh at present. Besides, the CDC extended credit of Taka 12.76 lakh to its members for various income-generating activities including poultry, dairy, homestead gardening and horticulture.

Apart from this, 93 latrines, 10 deep-set tubewells and 915- meter footpath were constructed under the CDF fund helping overall community developments including public health. Now, she knows how to improve livelihood of others and to get rid poverty.

Her significant success has created encouragement among other neighbors, who are taking suggestions from her about establishing such type of farm.

By virtue of the small-scale income-generating activities, she said the CDC has been playing a vital role in community- uplift. So, the CDC could be adjudged as a time-fitting and effective mode of poverty alleviation side by side with women empowerment and self-employment.

Housewife, Nasrin, 37, is a mother of three daughters and a son. Her husband is a labour-class employee of Rajshahi University. She became a member of Meherchandi Koraitola CDC and received loan of Taka 3,000 in late 2006. She started rearing a cattle along with homestead gardening.

Now, she becomes an owner of three cattle and earns profit of Taka 3,500 every month after selling milk and vegetables. Her social dignity has been enhanced as she rotates her family into happy and sends her children school.

"We eat proteins food, fresh vegetables, drink safe water, use sanitary latrine and maintain hygienic life," housewife Nasrin said adding that her children are going to school now.

Side by side with the male, she added that the females can do everything with skill and competence if there is will and mental strength.

A resident of Paba Natunpara, Ferdousi, 25, doesn't know how to eradicate poverty. Wife of a rickshawpullar, Ferdousi used to live in a thatched house. She revived herself from vulnerable position at present.

To enhance food security, she now cultivates vegetables, fruits and roof gardening in her homestead.

Now, she is fully enriched with mental strength as she earns regular money from multipurpose income-generating activities including cattle fatening, poultry farming and vegetable gardening.

Mother of four daughters, Ferdousi is now leading a happy family in a tin-shed house with her husband leaving behind a gloomy situation.

She has now changed fate of her family by bringing economic self-reliance and well-being, better sanitary facilities and her sons go to school and she now understands how to improve livelihoods and living conditions.

Shahana, 30, wife of Bablu and mother of two daughters and a son, is a resident of Haragram Shaotalpara. She took chance of working in a profit-making activity and proved herself as a good performer of income-generation within two and half years.

Along with other members of her community, now, she is leading a decent livelihood driving out her poverty-stricken position.