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Few Personal Initiatives:         

In the following section, we provide a few case studies which I have experienced in rural areas of Bangladesh since 2004.

Case 01 (2004)                          

I did a little experiment which I like to share. I did not do it because of this project but I did it because I felt that it was my moral responsibility. I gave money to one of my poor neighbors less than two years ago. With her husband’s help she bought a cow for 3000 tk (AU $50). After eighteen months,  the cow gave birth. We sold it and the price was 12000 tk (AU $250). I got back my 3000 tk purchase money and the remaining 9000 tk was divided into two. She got 4500 tk and I got 4500 tk. She was extremely happy with that money.  She has never seen that amount of money together and never imagined that she would earn so much money at once. With that money she released a piece of her husband’s land for which he had borrowed money from a money lender. She requested more cows. She can even manage 10 cows but she does not have capital to buy them. I feel that I should continue helping her, making her economically solvent and changing her life and the fortune of her family. 

If help can be provided to many poor people like this woman, their lives will be changed. Many of the poor husbands who pedal rickshaws everyday, have wives at home who can maintain a cow to bring extra income to the family. If those women can bring such income to their family, they will be respected and honored by their husband and family.

It is simple for those destitute women to take care of cows. We have a country with evergreen grass and ample places to graze cows. Either getting money at once from the share of selling a cow after a certain time or selling milk to the village market every day once cows have given birth, can change their lives in a very substantial way. The project can bring them out of misery, poverty and sadness. In addition, it is very simple and without any risk except any natural calamity. While it is not a good idea to donate to them, it is better to help them to become independent and make them financially solvent.

Case 02(2004)                           

There are many extremely poor women in my village. For example, Mohoruddir Ma “the mother of a boy named Mohoruddi” (Women in a village are called or known by their first child’s name). She, her husband and children have a long history of suffering poverty. They had a hut in our land. Her husband used to work as a daily laborer in the village. He died a long time ago from disease without having any medicine or medical treatment. She had seven daughters and only one son.  Mohoruddir Ma roams around the village with her children. She works in other people’s houses and in return she gets food to feed her children.

Since I was living outside of Bangladesh, I gave some money to my brother to buy two cows for Mohoruddir Ma. In less than eighteen months of raising cows and selling them, she earned a good amount of money. Mohoruddir Ma was extremely happy and surprised. She has never seen so much money in her life.  She never imagined that she would earn that amount of money at once. After that, she requested more cows and right now she has several cows. Now she does not work in other people’s houses. She is busy feeding her cows. From this little experience, I realize that I want to continue helping these helpless, landless, poor women in a constructive way.

Case 03(2004)                             

Maryomer ma (mother of Maryom) is another woman whose life was full of misery and hopelessness. Her husband is disabled and they do not have any land for cultivation but only the hut they live in. The woman had a small business worth $ 10 on a daily basis. She used to go visiting house to house, selling dry fish to villagers. During the rainy season there was continuous rain for several days and at that time she was unable to move door to door selling her dry fish. She used all her money buying food because she was starving with her disabled husband. After that time she could not manage $ 10 to start her business again. Now she often works in our house, helping my mother and she gets food and rice. My mother is generous and many times she gives her food and rice even on days when Maryomer ma does not work. But I know my mother does not give rice to her every day. I wonder how she lives on other days. When I travel to Bangladesh I give clothes and money to her and her husband. But I know it is not enough. Life requires much more than that. Maryomer ma knows how to do business and she is strong enough to do something. I know if she is given money to start a small business or raise cows, she will not have to work in other people’s house for food. She would become independent and would change her life.

My eyes were not opened until recently when I called my mother at my village from Australia and she told me that one of my neighbors to whom I gave a cow wanted to talk to me. I happily told my mother please hand her the cell phone. She said “You have helped us a lot by giving us a  cow. When are you coming back to Bangladesh and can you give us more cows?” It struck my mind at that point. I had not realized the benefits of raising cows the last time I visited Bangladesh.

Hundreds of poor women like these are in one rural village. Their lives would be changed if we can provide help to many of them. Poor rural women whose husbands pedal rickshaws (human vehicles), can at least raise a few cows. This will help them to contribute an additional income to their families. In rural areas, women are socially deprived and financially isolated in the patriarchal society. Such additional income might bring honor to the society. It is simple for those destitute women to raise cows next to their homes. We have a country with evergreen grass and ample places to graze cows.