An author once commented, “I think every woman should have financial independence, but it’s not just for the money. It’s for the security and the power that comes with it.” This truth resonates with the women of Binodpur Village in the Sundarbans region near the Bay of Bengal. It is primarily the men who are responsible for earning, and women usually help them or take care of household chores. The primary source of income is cultivation and fishing. Often, their crop is destroyed by cyclones and unusual rainfall, or they are attacked by royal Bengal tigers when they go out for fishing in the Mangrove Jungle. Their daily life is full of challenges. This has resulted in unstable income sources, and they often migrate to big cities in search of a safer livelihood.

Keeping this in mind, I, as a Transformational Community Development (TCD) worker, organized a program on Income Generation. Seven women participated in the program, and they shared their thoughts on Income Generation. Some of them wanted to do chicken, goat, and cow farming. GHNI partnered with two of the ladies, giving them the ability to purchase 12 chickens. At present, they are producing eggs and chickens and earning 300 rupees ($3.50) per month through selling eggs and chicken. This has opened a new avenue for the women to earn some money, and they are able to meet their important needs like paying school fees for their children or saving it for more investments.

Thanks to GHNI for bringing help and hope to these women’s lives. We need your help to sustain four more families.

Thank you,

Written by Subimal, GHNI TCD Worker