Shilpi dreams to transform society

Shilpi was born in Singa Shoulpur village of Norail district. The name of her father is Ayub Molla and mother is Rafeza Begum. She is eldest among the three sisters. Shilpi’s father moved to Jessore town in search of livelihood. Poor father rented a low cost house in Jamrultola of sheikhhati, Jessore area and started working at Singer factory as labor. There Shilpi got admitted at Jamrultola primary school and gone through SSC examination. Shilpi dreamed to pursue higher education and would become teacher but that did not happen because her father married off her after completion of SSC education. She could not continue her study owing to deterrence of husband and mother-in-law. Her dream of being teacher was shattered away. She was become mother of boy child three years later of marriage. In that time she came to know about the interventions of IED. She took participation in IED run group meeting and became regular member of IED organized women group.

Being encouraged from discussion in the group meeting regarding livelihood development and economic empowerment of group members, she started to apply the thoughts in her life. She shared the importance of women participation in family decisions with her husband especially regarding sending child school, selling & purchasing furniture, conscious about family income sources and other related opinion for family. She successfully motivated her husband about the matter.

After becoming the member of women group and involving in different activities of the group she realized that women are to be organized and sensitized for empowerment. Then she became more active for mobilizing other disadvantaged women for their rights to move towards empowerment.

Now she plays proactive role for the development of women. She actively involves herself in all kinds of movements related to women empowerment. She jointly makes protest including group members if any kinds of violence against women occur in her area. She has formed awareness women groups in the surrounding areas where the women do not know about activities of IED. She successfully took initiatives to stop three early marriage involving women group members. One of her group members who is also named Shilpi was being tortured by her husband regularly. Later one group member shared it with group leader Shilpi and then talked with tortured shipi’s husband Masud requesting not to torture again. Few group members led by Shilpi placed this matter in male group’s meeting but failed to Masud keep away from torture. As per decision after the discussion, members of male and women group jointly went to tortured member Shilpi’s house and talked with her husband. They forewarned Shilpi’s husband if he tortures again then they will provide support to take legal action against him. They will discuss this matter with local representatives as well. Lastly the husband became motivated not to make any torture to his wife.

Shilpi always stands beside group member or any other person when anybody falls into trouble. She maintains regular communication with local elected representatives, social welfare office, health services and legal institutions to get facilities. She assisted one group member named Aklima to get Tk. 4000.00 (four thousand) from upazila social welfare office for her ill child’s treatment. She assisted 25 group members to test/check up uterus. In the meantime, she managed 5 women to get old age allowance through making linkage with local government representatives.

She realized that to be self sufficient it is craving need for women to develop skills. Hence she received skill training on tailoring from IED and now earns monthly Tk. 3000/- (three thousand). She also believes that establishing rights and empowerment of women in family and society, it is necessary to get support from men. For this reason she cooperated to form male groups and attends in male groups’ meetings regularly. She discussed with male group members for solving any kinds of problem arise in the area. Again, she recognizes that if works jointly by women and men then it would be possible to build balanced society.