Mamun Islam, BSS, Rangpur :
The laudable success achieved in rural macro- economy through income generation activities has alleviated abject poverty accelerating women empowerment improving their life standard in the northern
region.
As a result of economic self-reliance achieved by tens of hundreds of the distressed and poor rural women through income generation activities during the past five years, the seasonal curse of “monga” has disappeared permanently from the region.
According to Executive Director Dr Syed Samsuzzaman of Rangpur-based reseach organisation “Northbengal Institute of Development Studies”, rural women have been contributing largely setting up a glaring example in abject poverty alleviation.
Following implementation of various effective steps taken by the government, like massive social safety net and employment generation activities, the rural women achieved the success eradicating the curse of “monga” once for all,” he said.
Talking to BSS, Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Manjushree Saha said the socioeconomic status of rural women has improved following engagements with various income generating activities under effective GO-NGO-private initiatives.
The unemployed and distressed women have achieved self-reliance through small-scale enterprises, trades, cottage industries, sewing, micro-credit activities, homestead farming, pisciculture, rearing poultry birds, animals and making handloom garments.
The rural women have played the most important roles in alleviating abject poverty though they lived in utter miseries, especially during the “monga”, even a decade ago and are now living with their children in economic solvency and happiness.
Manjushree said the easy-term and interest-free loans, training for unemployed young girls and women on various trades for self-employment, assistance of the government, NGOs, donor agencies, development partners also played important roles in alleviating poverty.
Destruct Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur Abdus Salam said the government continues implementing comprehensive social safety-net programmes like employment generation, VGF, VGD, TR, and FFW to eradicate poverty permanently.
Chilmari Upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said as a result of economic well-being achieved by the distressed rural women, their children are now going to schools though many of them lived under abject poverty even a decade ago.
None can now find adolescents, girls and children as domestic helps in the northern region, including remote char areas, where people had to starve during the seasonal lean periods in the past, because of their improved socioeconomic conditions, he added.
Giving full credit to the government for alleviating abject poverty during the past five years, Taramon Bibi, Bir Pratik, said rural women have achieved self-reliance through income generation activities under GO-NGO assistance and also at their own initiatives.
Successful rural women Akifa Khatun, Nahar Begum, Shulekha Khatun, Renuka Rani, Sakuntola, Mariyam and Shahana, who led miserable life even a decade ago, said they have achieved self-reliance, driven away “monga” and are leading solvent life now.
The successful rural women, including landless, distressed, divorcees and widows, unemployed young girls, housewives, are now confident about the future of their children because of their achieved macro-economic success after alleviating poverty.
