Written by: M.G. Rabbany,
E-Mail: grabbany@gmail.com
E-Mail: grabbany@gmail.com
I am Nila Sultana aged 22. I was born in 1984 at Khulna where my birth family used to live and my father’s workplace. My father used to work in a Jute Mill at Khulna as a labor but my father was the inhabitants of Faridpur district where he had only homestead and a small house. I used to visit our village with my parents during EID vacation or when my maternal grandfather used invite to visit there. My mother was a housewife. I went to the school several years in govt. primary school at Khulna. I have two elder brothers, one elder sister and one younger brother. My elder sister got married and now she is living with her husband and my two elder brothers are living separately with their respective families. Both of my elder brothers are Rickshaw pullers and they pull Rickshaw in the Dhaka city.
Nila SultanaIn 1993 (approximately), the Jute Mill at Khulna stopped where my father used to work and then my father became unemployed. Finding no other alternative way my parents came to Dhaka 1993 (approximately). Then my father worked as mason and later he worked as gateman in a house long days. Now my father can not work and he is now weak and aged. Then my mother also started to work in a garment factory and she worked about one year. She gave up working in the garment factory due to her sickness.
Now my younger brother, I and my parents live together. My younger brother is taking car training in a training centre. My father can not work as he is sick and aged. My mother looks after my son.
I was given in marriage with a young boy named Alal in 2001 June who lived in same area in Dhaka. Then I was only 16 or 17 years old. My husband used to pull Rickshaw and he came from Pabna district. My husband studied up to class-9 and he was smart. Other member of low’s family lived in the village. He did not want to work as a Rickshaw puller but he could not collect another work. After getting married my husband rented a house but he could not bear the expenditure of our small family as he was lazy and he did not work regular.
Sometimes my parents helped us giving some money. Due to want of money we had quarrel often. In the meantime I became pregnant. On an occasion I left his house and I came to my parent’s house. Then my husband also left me. In the meantime I gave birth to a male child at the end of 2003. After leaving my husband my parents used to look after me and my son. But the financial situation of my parents was not well. Then I faced serious problem. I had to suffer in scarcity of money. My father became sick and my younger brother was unemployed. Usually the members of my family were not happy with me. Then I tried to earn money and I started to work as a housemaid servant to the several houses. I used to work hard to earn some more money. But I did not receive more money to work hard as a housemaid. At the end I used to receive only Tk. 900 working three houses six times (13/14 hours) in a day. Then how much difficulties I faced and how much I tried hard to earn money I can not explain.
Then I introduced with a woman who knew me as she lived same area and she knew my situation. Her name is Kohinoor aged near 30. She told me about Nari Jibon organization and she offered to meet with Nari Jibon chairman. Kohinoor was a student of Nari Jibon organization. I visited Nari Jibon office with Kohinoor and I was appreciated with its activities. Then I was interested to learn Bangla and tailoring course from Nari Jibon as then I dreamt to set up a home based tailoring business. But it was impossible to me to learn tailoring instead of earning money. Then I informed my present situation and problems to the Chairman of Nari Jibon. I think, she is a great woman in this world and I have not seen ever in my life like her. She offered me a great opportunity to learn tailoring and succeed my dream. I took admission at Nari Jibon in 10th July 2006. I got scope to work as a LPC (write, read and job). I used to receive Tk. 3700 per month instead of learning skills at Nari Jibon. I started to learn Bangla and Tailoring together. As I had to stay whole day in the office I got scope more time to learn Bangla and Tailoring course. Then I used to become tension free to maintain my family. My parents and other members of my family became happy and behaved very soft. Then my husband also started to come to my son and he started to solve problems between us. He often used to come to my son with some remittance for son. Then he took job in a company as A Sales Man. I got scope to learn Bangla and Tailoring course more than six months. In the meantime I completed Bangla and Tailoring course successfully. I have also participated in business management class. At the end of my course I applied to the Nari Jibon authority to help setting up home based tailoring business.
After completing my course I practiced several weeks to make dresses and sometimes I made dresses collecting order from out side. I learned 34 tailoring items to make. Especially I am able make various kinds of three pieces, petty coat, blouse, window cover, pillow cover, various kinds of kids’ dresses, Fotua (male, female), Panjabi and shorts etc well. After the end of my course Nari Jibon authority gave me a new sewing machine and some money as set up cost. After receiving sewing machine I set up and started to run home based tailoring business. Now my husband returned to me and we are living with my parents happily. My parents are also happy. Now we are thinking to rent a separate house but we are also thinking we need some more income if we rent a separate house. After discussing with my husband I joined in a garment factory at the beginning in this month (August, 07). I joined there as a helper and the employer gave me word that they would promote and increase my salary after three months. These three months I would receive 1250 taka as salary excluding overtime money. I hope within few months I will get promotion and receive high salary. I am also running my home based tailoring business and I can earn some money. After returning to my house I work in my home based tailoring business. In my absence my mother can take order which is plus point to me. I am very grateful to Nari Jibon for the contribution and changing my life. I have learned a lot of things from Nari Jibon office. I pray to Allah (God) may my madam (K.B. Ward) live long.
Now my younger brother, I and my parents live together. My younger brother is taking car training in a training centre. My father can not work as he is sick and aged. My mother looks after my son.
I was given in marriage with a young boy named Alal in 2001 June who lived in same area in Dhaka. Then I was only 16 or 17 years old. My husband used to pull Rickshaw and he came from Pabna district. My husband studied up to class-9 and he was smart. Other member of low’s family lived in the village. He did not want to work as a Rickshaw puller but he could not collect another work. After getting married my husband rented a house but he could not bear the expenditure of our small family as he was lazy and he did not work regular.
Sometimes my parents helped us giving some money. Due to want of money we had quarrel often. In the meantime I became pregnant. On an occasion I left his house and I came to my parent’s house. Then my husband also left me. In the meantime I gave birth to a male child at the end of 2003. After leaving my husband my parents used to look after me and my son. But the financial situation of my parents was not well. Then I faced serious problem. I had to suffer in scarcity of money. My father became sick and my younger brother was unemployed. Usually the members of my family were not happy with me. Then I tried to earn money and I started to work as a housemaid servant to the several houses. I used to work hard to earn some more money. But I did not receive more money to work hard as a housemaid. At the end I used to receive only Tk. 900 working three houses six times (13/14 hours) in a day. Then how much difficulties I faced and how much I tried hard to earn money I can not explain.
Then I introduced with a woman who knew me as she lived same area and she knew my situation. Her name is Kohinoor aged near 30. She told me about Nari Jibon organization and she offered to meet with Nari Jibon chairman. Kohinoor was a student of Nari Jibon organization. I visited Nari Jibon office with Kohinoor and I was appreciated with its activities. Then I was interested to learn Bangla and tailoring course from Nari Jibon as then I dreamt to set up a home based tailoring business. But it was impossible to me to learn tailoring instead of earning money. Then I informed my present situation and problems to the Chairman of Nari Jibon. I think, she is a great woman in this world and I have not seen ever in my life like her. She offered me a great opportunity to learn tailoring and succeed my dream. I took admission at Nari Jibon in 10th July 2006. I got scope to work as a LPC (write, read and job). I used to receive Tk. 3700 per month instead of learning skills at Nari Jibon. I started to learn Bangla and Tailoring together. As I had to stay whole day in the office I got scope more time to learn Bangla and Tailoring course. Then I used to become tension free to maintain my family. My parents and other members of my family became happy and behaved very soft. Then my husband also started to come to my son and he started to solve problems between us. He often used to come to my son with some remittance for son. Then he took job in a company as A Sales Man. I got scope to learn Bangla and Tailoring course more than six months. In the meantime I completed Bangla and Tailoring course successfully. I have also participated in business management class. At the end of my course I applied to the Nari Jibon authority to help setting up home based tailoring business.
After completing my course I practiced several weeks to make dresses and sometimes I made dresses collecting order from out side. I learned 34 tailoring items to make. Especially I am able make various kinds of three pieces, petty coat, blouse, window cover, pillow cover, various kinds of kids’ dresses, Fotua (male, female), Panjabi and shorts etc well. After the end of my course Nari Jibon authority gave me a new sewing machine and some money as set up cost. After receiving sewing machine I set up and started to run home based tailoring business. Now my husband returned to me and we are living with my parents happily. My parents are also happy. Now we are thinking to rent a separate house but we are also thinking we need some more income if we rent a separate house. After discussing with my husband I joined in a garment factory at the beginning in this month (August, 07). I joined there as a helper and the employer gave me word that they would promote and increase my salary after three months. These three months I would receive 1250 taka as salary excluding overtime money. I hope within few months I will get promotion and receive high salary. I am also running my home based tailoring business and I can earn some money. After returning to my house I work in my home based tailoring business. In my absence my mother can take order which is plus point to me. I am very grateful to Nari Jibon for the contribution and changing my life. I have learned a lot of things from Nari Jibon office. I pray to Allah (God) may my madam (K.B. Ward) live long.
2 comments:
Congratulations on your success, Nila! And thank you for sharing your story.
That is a really great story Nila! I wish you success.
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