Many of the low-incoming households have become self-reliant through their income-generating activities as a result of various anti-poverty interventions in the city during the last couple of years.
They are also seen contributing a lot towards ensuring food security through vegetable farming in small lands and rooftops of thatched houses in Rajshahi city. After meeting up their respective family needs, they are earning money through selling the outputs regularly elevating their level of confidence.
Mainly, they launched the venture in response to the call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the best uses of every inch of land to eradicate food crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. More than 1.60 lakh slum-population from 35,160 less-income households has been brought under income-generating activities through formation of 102 Community Development Committees (CDC) under a recently phased-out anti-poverty scheme. The beneficiary families, who struggled with poverty for a long time, achieved economic self-reliance and well-being by adopting the money-making activities through their own initiatives, planning and resource mobilization.
Around 90,000 people from over 25,000 households living in slum areas have got the scope of improving their lives and livelihood conditions with intervention of an anti-poverty scheme. Brac Urban Development Programme (UDP) has been implementing the project extending financial support to forty of them to have houses.
Around 17,500 youths, including 13,000 females are getting necessary knowledge. Besides, 3,000 other youths are being imparted with either three or six-month need-based vocational and technical training.
Slum dwellers are getting safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and education facilities and their living and livelihood conditions are ultimately improving, she informed.
Chief Engineer of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Nur islam said earlier they formed 1,122 primary groups with their own initiatives and selected their modes of earning like small business, agriculture, poultry and dairy. He said the project has provided technical and financial support to the beneficiaries but the main work, like improving their livelihoods and living conditions, were done by themselves.
Rehena Sharmin, 24, is a resident of Meherchandi Purbapara slum of Rajshahi city. She is the fourth among her four brothers and two sisters. She couldn't take part in the SSC examinations due to poverty. In the preliminary stage, she received a loan of Taka 12,500 in two phases for poultry rearing. Now, she has become an owner of a poultry and dairy composite farm along with a homestead garden through her sincerity and hard work. Currently, she earns Taka 12,000 to Taka 15,000 from her farm
every month.
Sharmin said the activity makes her aware about sustainable socio-economic and livelihood development side by side with the male. In addition to making her family members happy, she obtained an HSC degree from Bangladesh Open University. Sharmin conducted various lucrative programmes after being trained on savings and credit management and leadership.
Now, she has become an owner of three cattle and earns a profit of Taka 3,500 every month after selling milk and vegetables.
Nasrin, a housewife said, "We eat protein foods, fresh vegetables, drink safe water and use sanitary latrines to maintain a hygienic life. My children are going to school now." She added. Side by side with the male, she added the females can do everything with skill and competence if there is will and mental strength.
A resident of Paba Natunpara, Ferdousi, 25, didn't know how to eradicate poverty. Wife of a rickshaw puller, Ferdousi used to live in a thatched house. She revived herself from vulnerable positions getting involved with income-generating activities. To ensure food security, she now cultivates vegetables, fruits and roof gardening in her homestead. She has gained adequate mental strength as she now earns money from multipurpose income-generating activities including cattle fattening, poultry farming and vegetable gardening.
Mother of four daughters, Ferdousi is now leading a happy family life in a tin- shed house with her husband, leaving behind a life full of hardship.
