Shuvosangho a blessing for helpless women in Madaripur

“I visited many places in and around the area to get sewing training but I was denied as I failed to pay the training fee. I am a poor woman. I live in a government cluster village. Where will I get the money? Therefore, I couldn’t receive training anywhere,” Maksuda Begum, who came to receive the sewing training at Peyarpur Guchchagram of Madaripur Sadar upazila, was narrating her sad story.

“I came to know that the officials of Bashundhara Group are providing sewing training free of cost and offering a sewing machine on completion of the training course. I took part in the training course and was given a sewing machine after successfully ending the course. I am really happy. Now I will be able to earn money by stitching clothes with the machine,” said an optimistic Maksuda Begum.

Not only Maksuda but also 35 women, who participated in the training programme conducted by Bashundhara Shuvosangho, were telling the same story unequivocally. Some of them are widows, some are abandoned by their husbands and some are excluded from society.
A sewing training programme was inaugurated in Madaripur on 3 September this year with the help of Bashundhara Group to make 35 hapless women self-reliant. These women will be provided with sewing machines on completion of their training courses.

The sewing training programmes are going on in Peyarpur Asharyan Project area and Shakuni area under the district. A total of 35 underprivileged women are receiving training in the two centres. Besides, 15 women are being trained at the Kalkini upazila centre of the district.

After the end of the three-month training course, Shuvosangho founder also editor-in-chief of the daily Kaler Kantho Imdadul Haq Milan will hand over sewing machines to those who have completed the training course successfully.

Yasmin Begum of Peyarpur village said, “In the absence of my husband, I manage my family and the little children by working as a maid at different houses. If I get a sewing machine, then I will never continue the housemaid job. I will surely be able to run my family by sewing clothes with the machine.”

Instructors Mithila Akter and Champa Begum jointly said that they are inspired by the participants as they are learning with full concentration. If they get sewing machines after the training, they will be able to work with them and they will become self-reliant, said the two instructors. “We are making our highest efforts to make them efficient in the training session.”

Akhi Akhter of Lakshmiganj village under Rasti union, in an emotion-choked voice, said, “My husband is physically challenged. I have earned some money by working as an ayah at a local clinic. If I was given a sewing machine after finishing my training, there would be no hardship in my family.  
Pavelur Rahman Shafiq Khan, former chairman of Madaripur Sadar upazila, highly appreciated the humanitarian activities of Bashundhara Group and said he was with Shuvosangho, he is now and will remain with them in the future.

Subal Biswas, a senior journalist and also a writer on folk culture and history, said that the helpless people could become self-dependent if business groups like Bashundhara engage in carrying out such humanitarian and voluntary activities across the country.

Madaripur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mainuddin said Bashundhara Group is working for the betterment of the helpless people in the country and thus it deserves acclamation.

There was no opportunity for education for the children living in the Ashrayan project. But the business group has created the scope by setting up schools here. Mainuddin extended thanks to Bashundhara Group for creating self-employment opportunities by offering sewing training to helpless women in the country.

SOURCE : Daily Sun