As thriving rural economy is one of the priority aims of the present government, the ‘One House, One Farm project’ is doing wonders in this regard, particularly making country’s women financially self-reliant.
‘One House, One Farm’ is one of the prominent projects, which was undertaken by the Awami League government. The project made its place in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 10 special initiatives to play a pivotal role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country through reducing poverty by 2021.
The main objectives of this project are to raise funds based on partnership, poverty alleviation through family farm and sustainable development and women are positioned on top of achieving the goals.
Each member of Village Development Cooperative Society formed under this project, deposits
Taka 200 monthly and the government also gives bonus of the same amount against the amount deposited and provides recurring fund of Taka 1.5 lakh yearly as well. This way, each cooperative society raises fund of around Taka nine lakh within two years, which belongs only to the members of cooperative society.
Members take loan from the cooperative society to invest in income generating activities. They hold regular backyard meeting and have the scope to repay the loan in their time of convenient.
Members can take loan up to one lakh by paying only five percent as service charge. Each cooperative society in ward or village level formed with 40 women and 20 men members.
According to the Natore district coordinator office of ‘One House, One Farm’ project, around 965 societies have been formed in the district so far.
“The 37,784 members of these 965 cooperative societies have raised funds of around Taka 11 crore. Against these funds, the government from its part has allocated funds of around Taka 10.5 crore in member level and around Taka 20.24 crore in society level. Loan of around Taka 50 crore have been disbursed as par the demands of the members,” the district coordinator office sources said.
To further strengthen the financial base of the women members of the Village Development Cooperative Society, Palli Sanchay Bank is carrying out comprehensive programs. ‘One House, One Farm’ project’s upazila coordinator’s office is being used as office of the bank.
When the total fund of each society grows to nine lakh in two years, it gets transferred to Palli Sanchay Bank. Each member can take loan up to one lakh from the bank, and the majority women members of the cooperative societies are enjoying the loan facility.
Amena Khatun is one of such woman and as a member of Goaldighi-Krishnopur Village Development Society under Dighapotiya Union under Natore Sadar upazila, Amena started her muri (puffed rice) making business seven years ago by taking a loan of only Taka 10, 000. She sells ‘muri’ daily in Dalsarak Muri Haat, the biggest of such kind in the district. Besides making ‘muri’, she is also rearing poultry and goats in her house.
“Not only has the society under ‘One House, One Farm’ project given me solvency, but also it made me more aware. Now, I use safe toilet, get pure drink water and also make other people aware,” said Amena Khatun.
Amena’s neighbor Mobarak Hossain’s story is also similar. Mobarak has taken a loan of Taka 50 thousand from the society and also makes ‘muri’.
“Now our village is known as ‘Muri Gram’,” proud Mobarak said.
An herbal revolution has taken place in country’s only herbal village Lakkhipur-Kholabaria. One of the successful farmers from the village is Kholabaria Village Development Cooperative Society member Falani Bewa.
Dudgari village under Najirpur union in Gurudaspur upazila is famous for its pottery industries. At least 50 families of the village are somehow involved in pottery.
“We are making potteries from generation to generation. Now we are getting financial assistance for our work from One House, One Farm project. We have been able to increase our production by taking loan from the society,” Dudgari Village Development Cooperative Society Member Saraswati Rani Pal and Lokkhirani Pal said.
“Women members of Dudpara, Sonabaju and Jogendrapur areas are now getting benefits more from activities like pottery, kholsun (material used in fishing) making by taking loans from cooperative societies,” One House, One Farm project Gurudaspur upazila office coordinator Lutfunnahar said.
One House, One Farm project Natore Sadar upazila office coordinator Md Mazedur Rahman said they are working to increase periphery of the project apart from beefing up monitoring on the societies.
“In some areas, the women members have achieved so much success that womenfolk from other areas are following their footsteps,” Rahman added.
Natore district coordinator of the project Md Nazrul Islam too sounded upbeat in eradicating poverty by successful implementation of this project.
“Women are on the driving seats to eradicate poverty through this project and Bangladesh would easily climb the ladder of prosperity if we can eradicate poverty through empowering women financially,” he added.
