Rahama

Married off at 15 by my parents, I was no stranger to poverty. My husband, a day labourer and part-time fisherman, could barely put two meals on the table. On top of that, we had five children to raise. However, our financial pressure was exacerbated due to a market that was adjusting to a massive influx of nearly a million forcibly displaced Rohingya people. Yet, I always dreamed of serving the community, following the footsteps of my late father-in-law, a local council member. Eventually, I was selected as a participant for the BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation programme and was supported with the resources and mentorship I needed. I started rearing cattle, received training and a loan, bought and sold livestock to eventually start a fish trading business. I even bought an auto rickshaw for my husband. I was finally changing my own fortune. My dream of serving the community came true when I was elected as a member of the local union parishad in 2022, boosted by my work as the leader of the Village Social Solidarity Committee set up under the UPG programme. Now, my five children go to school and I spend time working for my constituents and campaigning against child marriage and dowry.

Rahama
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh