Rabeya is a single mother with two daughters and a son. Her husband Siraj died six years ago in an accident while working overseas. Since then, Rabeya has provided for her family by selling cloth which she sold on commission for a local shop, earning less than BDT 150 per day. While she is trained as a seamstress, Rabeya has never been able to amass enough savings to invest in her own business.
Now, thanks to our project funded by the International Organization of Migration, SafePlus and OFDA, Rabeya is earning more than double what she used to by sewing clothes with her own sewing machine. As a result, Rabeya is better able to provide for her family and is happy to be her own boss.
Rabeya became involved with our project when she joined the Shapla Self-Help Group where she received entrepreneur and business plan development training which supported her to identify her marketable skills and interests and create a workable business plan. Rabeya then received a cash grant which she used to buy a sewing machine and basic cloth to set up her own business.
Rabeya explains, “I learned sewing clothes locally and it’s a very profitable business. But I was never able to collect enough money to start my own business and was stuck working for someone else. This is a real opportunity to take care of my son and daughter, repair my house, and fund their education.”