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Eti’s Story
“Not long ago I thought that women were just supposed to keep home, and were only meant to carry out the orders of their husbands. Now I see there is much more.
I am no longer limited to the four walls around me. I am a successful woman. I feel dignity now in my family and in society” Eti, Bangladesh.
Every time I hear Eti’s words, I feel humbled and inspired. Eti’s a young girl from a slum in Bangladesh, who like so many others was overlooked from day one. Growing up in a male dominated culture she was oppressed and abused by those closest to her, yet she managed to turn her life around, restore her dignity and her marriage. From such a challenging environment that would make most girls, including myself, fade away into the shadows, Eti rose up as a successful business woman, lifting herself and her family out of poverty.
In late 2007 I heard about Eti’s journey alongside countless other stories of women transforming their lives. It was these stories that inspired me to support the work of Food for the Hungry in Bangladesh (a Christian charity with over 30 years experience of working in this fragile country).
In 2008 I visited Bangladesh to meet the local charity staff and the women participating in their learning and savings groups, it was encouraging to see how these groups were such an important part of each woman’s life, providing the support that they needed to escape from poverty. Participating in these meetings further confirmed my dream to see UK women standing up to support and empower more disadvantaged women across Bangladesh. So when I returned home the Women of Action network slowly started.
After visiting Bangladesh and meeting women there, it is still difficult to imagine what it must be like to grow up in a culture which places such a low value on females. To have little power over my life or choices, and to face desperate physical poverty but have no means to provide for myself or my children. When I compare that with how much I have been given, how many opportunities I’ve had to discover and fulfil my potential, it seems so unjust. But we can do something about it, something tangible and lasting. We can help girls like Eti to develop the skills and confidence to lift themselves out of poverty.
Eti was married to an alcoholic man at the age of 9. Living in poverty she was forced to give up her education, and each day suffered abuse from her husband and mother-in law. However in 2003 she joined a learning and savings group in her community and was able to learn new skills such as tailoring, block-boutique printing, and hairdressing. But while Eti’s skills and abilities were improving, her marriage was still in trouble. Concerned for her well being, one of our staff invited Eti and her husband to attend a marriage support day. Eti’s husband agreed, and together they learned about how to develop a caring relationship.
They learned to value each other as equal partners, to respect each other’s opinion, and to appreciate each other’s contributions to the family. Eti’s husband took these lessons to heart, which started a remarkable change in his life, including an end to his alcoholism. With her home life improving and confidence growing, Eti was able to take a loan from her group savings fund to buy a sewing machine and start-up materials for a beauty parlour. Today, Eti runs her own tailoring and beauty parlour business out of her home, and now earns an additional 1000 taka a month to support her family! ( 2900 taka is an average monthly family income in Bangladesh. )
As Eti inspired me, I hope her story will inspire you to take action and support others like her. Through our growing network of women across the UK we are hoping to see another 1000 learning and savings groups providing life changing opportunities to girls like Eti. These safe and supportive groups built on Christian values such us equality, justice and love are helping women to discover their value, restore their dignity and eventually reach out to others in need.
From learning how to read and write to understanding health and hygiene, from discovering their rights and being equipped to defend them to managing their own savings and eventually developing their own small businesses, we can help thousands of overlooked women to transform all areas of their lives and bring hope to their own communities.
When I visited Bangladesh there were already over 600 of these learning and savings groups empowering women to change their futures, but as millions of children are still malnourished and millions mothers are still powerless to prevent it, the need to help more women is as urgent as ever.
This month I’m going back to Bangladesh with another 7 ladies from across the UK. We’d love to share our experiences with you and your friends. Please contact me to find out how you can get involved and visit womenofaction.co.uk to join our network.
Be Fabulous!
Our networks have partnered to provide a unique opportunity. As Be Fabulous members you can sponsor groups of women in Bangladesh together.
So let’s make 2010 a year to remember, by reaching out to another group of girls who really need our help, together we can change lives forever.
Click here to find out more and make a difference today.
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About the author
Name: Charlene Hayden
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Website: http://www.womenofaction.co.uk
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