Biswajit Mandal from Shyamnagar, Satkhira
Banasree Rani Mandal is struggling poor and hardworking woman from Kalmegha village in Sadar union of Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district. Due to being struck by poverty she could not complete her education and got married in an early age having just completed standard nine of class. Her husband Poritush Mondal has only 2 bighas of land, of which 10 katha is homestead. She has family members of 6 members including husband, wife, three children and father-in-law. Thus, Banasree Rani has to struggle to meet various daily needs of her big family. She said, ‘The situation in the world is very bad. We live from hand to mouth. My husband is a carpenter and day laborer. The income of my husband is not enough to meet all the family needs.’
However, in order to address poverty and help her husband running the family properly Banashree started doing different kinds of works. The work included making leaf huts, planting paddy, threshing paddy, cultivating vegetables in the homestead and raising and rearing livestock. She has learned to do these sorts of works from her parents when she lived with them.
Banashree with assistance from her Husband, and father-in-law started cultivating a variety of vegetables and raising poultry, cows and goats in the homestead throughout the year. She farmed seasonal potatoes, tomatoes, beetroot, radishes, carrots, spinach, spinach, cabbage, cabbage, sweet pumpkin, kidney bean, ladies finger, chalkumra, uste, cucumber, shrimp, taro, bean, papaya, kachurmukhi etc. in her lands. By cultivating a variety of vegetables, Banasree Rani was gradually able to bring prosperity to the family.
Banasree Rani said, ‘I grow vegetables in my hometown, raise cattle and work as a tailor, which is a major source of income for the family.’ She also came touch of BARCIK in 2011 and learned lot of things on practicing sustainable agriculture, women rights and livelihood improvement. She said, ‘I met BARCIK in 2011. At that time I was a member of the Kalmegha Human Welfare Farmers’ Organization in our village. I used to cultivate more or less vegetables at home then. In 2012, seeing my interest in vegetable BARCIK extended helps to me by providing some materials which helped me accelerating my vegetable cultivation. I continue to benefit from it. This help is very helpful in alleviating my poverty.’
Banasree Rani further said, ‘As I am a member of Kalmegha Manab Kalyan Krishak Sangathan, I assist the members of BARCIK in various meetings, fairs, trainings, liaison with government and non-government organizations and in providing services.’ This interaction helps her getting acceptance among the community people in the area she mentioned. As a result of her increased acceptance between the village and the organizations she participated in the local level election (Union Parishad elections) for the reserved women’s seat in 2016. Though she was not elected that time yet she gained confidence seeing that she lost only by 13 votes. She began to believe that one day she would be elected.
Banashree also facilitated different activities and expressed desire of forming women organization in her village. BARCIK provided her technical supports in forming an organization and this helped her to form a women organization named ‘Kalmegha Krishi Nari Sangathan’. She said, ‘My house is known as a hundred houses. The newly formed organization with 21 members in 2016 we started to work to voice for women rights and increase women participation in income generating activities.’
Nonetheless, Banashree contested in the Union Parishod election this year which was held on 5 January. This time she was elected as people voted for her. Besides, by doing different social works in the area she has been able to increase her acceptance among the people. Her initiatives to help people and create awareness about their rights also help her to get elected. She said, ‘I have been elected on behalf of Kalmegha Krishi Nari Sangathan. And this victory is not mine alone, it is the victory of everyone in my organization. I couldn’t do anything without them. I have always received courage and inspiration from BARCIK as well.’
Translated by Silvanus Lamin
