Pictured: Rupa with her cows she purchased.
Rupa lives in Munshiganj District. She is married and together with her husband they are raising their two sons.
Rupa’s husband’s income was not enough to provide for the family’s needs. He could only earn a small income from the sweet shop where he worked. Rupa did not work prior to 2016, she had only received a small amount of education and she had no savings or cultivable land of her own. Their average daily income was Tk. 300-400 ($4.19 AUD or $2.82 USD).
Jaba Mahila Samiti
Rupa became an active member of Jaba Mahila Samiti (group name) in 2016 after successfully finishing the FIVDB functional education course with Symbiosis. The Jaba Mahila Samiti has 24 members who each deposit Tk. 50 weekly into the group’s savings account.
In time savings amassed and Rupa was supported by the group to take a loan of Tk. 30,000 ($419.22 AUD or $282 USD) from the savings fund and bought two bull calves. She now has 5 cows and is able to collect 7-8 liters of milk from the cows daily. Her husband’s salary also increased and their daily income grew to Tk. 800 -1000 ($11.18 AUD or $7.52 USD). These income generation activities together with the salary increase meant Rupa could purchase a piece of land next to her house and this land now cultivates grass. As a result, cattle feed is easily provided for the cows. Their life together is now much more self-sufficient and they are living more comfortably.
Looking to the future
Rupa shared with joy that Symbiosis Bangladesh is helping to make a positive change in her life financially through the activities of the group.
“The group has benefited me a lot. As a result of the group, I was able to easily carry out my income generation activities with a loan”, she said.
Rupa also shared that her family’s living standard and physical health had improved from having more income.
In the future her plan is to breed two more bull calves and make them bigger. Later she wants to buy land for more grass cultivation to sell at a higher price and hopes she will remain financially secure by rearing cows.
This story was collected by the Symbiosis Composite Development Project (SCDP) which is led by Project Manager Abul.