Mukta was a seasonal day-laborer. The proverb ‘flogging a dead horse’ became realistic in her life when her son-in-law (daughter’s husband) died, and her widowed daughter returned permanently to her house along with two granddaughters. Mukta’s family had to struggle for two meals a day. Her days were filled with stress and struggle as she didn’t have any money for investment to increase income.
Mukta was selected as a member of the ALO Plus project in 2021, and then got elected as the President of Aldatpur Self-Help Group (SHG). She regularly attends in weekly group meetings and deposits savings as much as possible. She shares her problems with other members in the SHG. The SHG members suggested her to marry her widowed daughter off; and finally, her daughter got married for the continuous efforts of all members of the SHG.
In the meantime, Grass Root Cooperation established environment-friendly stove manufacturing factory in the area. Mukta wishes to get a job in the stove manufacturing factory. She shared her intention in the weekly group meeting. All the group members went to the office of the factory and discussed the matter with the respective person. As a result, the office agreed, and provided hands-on training on stove manufacturing to Mukta. At present, she is working in the stove making factory and earning BDT400 – 500 per day.
Mukta received grants support from the project and bought 8 goats with BDT 24000. Current value of those goats is around BDT 40000. Her deposited savings is BDT 1240 and she paid off Qard-al-Hasana (interest-free loan) of BDT 15000 to SHG. Her two granddaughters live with her; Nine years old Fafiza Akter Moyna studies in grade three and six-years old Lamia Akter Tissha studies in grade one.
Mukta happily said “We had to struggle a lot. Many at times there was no food at home and the children had to starve. It was very painful as well as shocking when I could not ensure three meals for my granddaughters. Now I am able to afford three meals in a day. I can’t describe my hardship in words.”.
In future her plan is to establish a cattle farm in her house and she wants to continue study of two orphan granddaughters. She expressed gratitude to all concern for physical and mental support of dispelling food crisis.
