Business project helps women break barriers

Plan's microfinance projects enable women to take on new roles in their community by running their own businesses and producing income to support their families.

Srimoti Nelima Rani, a woman living in a rural community in Bangladesh, attended school until she was married at the age of 12. Living with her elderly parents-in-law, her husband's small income had to support the household.

After Nelima's son and daughter were born, the money was stretched further and on some days the family did not have enough to buy food.

Plan's Integrated Nutrition Project aims to fight widespread malnutrition among children under five years. One way in which this is achieved is to give women the skills to start businesses, helping to increase household income and improve the quality of life for families.

With her husband's support, Nelima took the opportunity to get involved in Plan's micro finance and income generation project, and she started a poultry farm. Through her brother-in-law, Nelima also joined the Plan Ward Nutrition Committee and started to cultivate fish and a vegetable garden. This provided a regular source of food for the family as well as additional income from selling the surplus at market.

With the money generated she was able to buy clothes and an electric fan, pay school fees for the children and pay for an appendicitis operation for her daughter. The income and the self-confidence that she gained from the project also prompted her to stand as a candidate in the elections for local government.

At first, Nelima found it difficult to counter the resistance of her in-laws and village gossip. Women are not supposed to earn a living, do not have control over land and income and are not usually involved in fisheries. She says, "People said 'She runs here and there, she does not look after her family. She was a woman; now she has become a man.' I did not listen to the people. I only thought that I had to reduce the burden on my family. People talk a lot but they won't help you."

Through projects such as this, barriers to women earning income are overcome, improving life for their children in the short term, and increasing prospects for the next generation in the long term.