A bit success of Nari Jibon- Asma Akter

Written by M.G. Rabbany

I am Asma Akter, aged 16. Now I am running a home based tailoring business and recently I have started Tailoring training centre at my house. I can make various designs three pieces, pillow covers, window covers, blouse, petty coat, fotua Panjabi, various kinds of kids’ dresses, male shirts and shorts etc. I can also teach sewing and cutting clothes to make above mentioned dresses. At present I am teaching 5 students. Actually my present students are my neighboring girls and I also receive dress making order from my neighboring people. But sometimes my elder sister’s friends give me some order making their dress. Day by day my earning of my business is increasing and now I can earn 500 taka 1000 taka every month. I faced problem to run my business and training centre as I have to work in our bed room. In future I’ll try to rent a shop for running my tailoring business and training centre, though I am also thinking to study for academic study. I had to stop my study due to couple reasons.

Asma Akter is working at her home based tailoring business

Asma is teaching her students at her house

I have two elder sisters, one brother and one younger brother. We were living happily. When I was reading in class-5 my parents gave in marriage my eldest sister arranging a large ceremony. My father was a business man. He used to run Rickshaw business and he had nine Rickshaws. Then we were living in a renting house. My father had to spend a lot of money. Almost same time some Rickshaws were stolen and my father faced serious problem. My father had to spend lot of money for the seeking Rickshaws. Serious financial problem was arisen in our family. My mother was mere a housewife. Then my elder sister Taslima and I gave up going to school though my elder brother continued his study for a while. My father came from Bikrampur but there he had no wealth except little homestead. My elder sister was given marriage in same village. Then our financial condition was so worse that my parents had not way to live in Dhaka. My maternal grand parents had a house in Dhaka. Then my parents took shelter to them and my father started to run his business seriously.
After stopping my study I was passing my time in our house lazily. I had no task to do. One day a field worker of Nari Jibon named Ruma Akter came to visit our house and explain about Nari Jibon activities. Then I became agreed to visit Nari Jibon office and taking tailoring skill. In 28 April 2005 I went to visit Nari Jibon office and I took admission at Nari Jibon office. I participated more than 2 months in English-1 classes but as I did not understand well English I quitted attending English class. But I continued to take tailoring course. Then I planed to set home based tailoring business. Within 6 months I completed tailoring course successfully. In this long period I practiced to make tailoring items. After completing my tailoring course my father bought a new sewing machine for me to run home based tailoring business. After that I am running home based tailoring business and I am earning some money.

Now our financial condition is better than before. My father is doing same Rickshaw business and now he has ten Rickshaws. My father also set up a shop of hardware (rickshaw parts) in our area. My elder brother runs this business. Now I can earn some money. My elder sister took computer skills from Nari Jibon and now she has taken admission in Open University for academic certificate. I am also thinking to study more.