Life immediately after her husband’s death about twelve years ago was not rosy. Hard work and dedication made her what she is now today. Support in Aquaculture empowered her as a successful social entrepreneur and role model for woman empowerment.
Many others are now following her footsteps. She is Sushoma Mondal who creates success story in Aquaculture.
The 42-year old widow lives in Taltola village under Bhandarpara Union at Dumuria upazila in Khulna. Her husband Sojit Mondal died prematurely 12 years ago.
Sushoma Mondal is now mother of two children under 10 years old. Immediately after her spouse’s death, she became perplexed and puzzled. She had no one to support her and her children in the crisis moments. Later, she realized that she has to do something for her children’s future and livelihood.
Against this backdrop, Sushoma Mondal had planned to run a business and later she became an entrepreneur. She shares the early days of her business career. “The route of business was not easy and the toughest part of taking the first step,” Sushoma Mondal said while talking to Bangladesh Post.
Her husband had owned a small grocery shop next to their house. Sushoma Mondal started her business career with the grocery shop. The local community, however, was not ready to accept her as a businesswoman at that time. Sushoma Mondal had no business skills. As a result, she had no minimum level of income to run her family which made her upset. She was thinking of quitting the small business and finding something new to support her family. “It was really difficult for me to manage food and other expenses for my family even after starting the business through the grocery shop,” said Sushoma Mondal.
In such a transitional period, she advised to go to the USAID AIN project in 2014. Later, she became interested in starting career with Aquaculture and developed her initial skills there with support in the last couple of years.
Sushoma Mondal said that it was a good decision for her to start career with Aquaculture as it dramatically changed her life.
In 2021, she enlisted with the Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture and Nutrition Activity under Petrochem initiatives as one of the woman micro franchisers. The Activity provided her business support and training on fish cultivation techniques, horticulture in pond dyke, woman empowerment through aquaculture, gender, leadership and other technical issues.
Later, she started business on aquaculture inputs such as aqua feed, fertilizers, aqua medicinal products (AMP). Her income continued to grow. Now she expanded her shop with profits. She built a part of her house with last year’s earnings. She has also been continuing her children’s education.
She recently started consultancy support on aquaculture. Over 100 people in the last few months received consultancy support from Sushoma Mondal which increased her income, social status, leadership skills and social acceptancy as well.
She has now full decision-making power inside and outside her business and household level. Currently, her average monthly income is around Tk. 10,000 ($100) and now she is saving every month after her family expenses and educational expenses.
Like Sushoma Modal, Petrochem established 60 woman micro franchises in Zone of Influence (ZOI) and provided aquaculture support along with advisory services to around 7000 farmers which is enormous contribution of the aquaculture sector in Zone of Influence. Sushoma Mondal said, “My life struggle has become successful. My children will be involved with income generation soon. My mother-in-law is now happy and proud of my achievement. She now regularly supports me in cooking and other household chores.” Sharing her path to success, she told Bangladesh Post, “I have earned the respect of local people and now they come to me for advice on aquaculture that makes me honoured. However, the path was not rosy for me. I would like to thank Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture and Nutrition Activity for supporting me in my crisis moments. I hope that their support will continue in the future as well.”