March 2025
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March 8, 2025

From domestic worker to a business owner

Marjina Khatun, 55-year-old, from Ranigram in Pabna Sadar Upazila, has transformed from a domestic worker to a successful entrepreneur. Four years ago, she was cleaning other people’s homes, struggling to make ends meet. Today, she has converted waste into resource by fish scale business and created jobs in her community. Now, her family is financially self-sufficient.

With great enthusiasm, Marjina shares her journey. While she worked as a domestic worker, her husband and disabled son managed a small fish business in the local market. However, their financial situation remained dire. In 2022, the RMTP project selected her as a beneficiary, providing essential training in fish scale collection, processing, and marketing. Additionally, she received a cash grant of BDT 125,000 from RMTP through PKSFs implementing partner, Program for Community Development (PCD).

With these funds, Marjina established a processing room, a wooden drying floor, and a hygienic workspace, ensuring a strong foundation for her business. The project also connected her with dealers who purchase processed scales directly from home, significantly reducing transportation costs. The processed scales are sold to third-party suppliers who provide manufacturers in China with raw materials for fish feed and pharmaceutical capsules.

Marjina actively collects fish scales from local traders and employs two women to assist her in the processing work. She sources scales from fish markets, neighbours, and hotels, ensuring a steady supply. The process involves carefully removing spikes, sun-drying the scales, and storing them for up to two months. She buys 50 kg of wet scales for BDT 1,000-1,200, which turn into 40 kg of dried scales and sell for BDT 2,500-3,500. Each month, she processes about 600 kg, spending Tk 15,000 and earning a profit of around Tk 33,750.

Marjina is grateful to the project for expand her business. She supports her three daughters and one son. Her goal is to empower her daughters to be self-sufficient. Through her journey, Marjina has gained confidence, improved her decision-making, and become a financial leader in her family.

By Ehsanul Habib
Stories
March 8, 2025

Preetilata Tripura becomes self-reliant through black pepper cultivation

Spices have been essential to culinary traditions for centuries. The people of the Indian subcontinent have been familiar with cinnamon, black pepper, and pepper since ancient times. Though 57-year-old Preetilata Tripura lacked detailed knowledge of their historical significance, she recognized the potential of black pepper cultivation and took on the challenge of growing this unconventional crop.

A century ago in the same district, Pritilata Waddedar, the first female martyr in the fight against the British colonialism, was honored as a ‘Veer Kanya’ (Brave Woman). Today, another Preetilata from Koila village in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram, Bangladesh, has gained recognition as a model black pepper farmer, turning her determination into inspiration for others.

Preetilata shared, “They told me black pepper has good yields and higher profits. In 2018, I planted saplings on 125 poles, with four saplings per pole. The production began in 2021, and I sold 25 kgs of black pepper that year. Last year, I sold 40 kgs.” Since then, she never looked back. She has expanded black pepper cultivation to new areas, including her lemon and jackfruit orchards in the Golachipa village.

Using techniques learned from PKSF’s RMTP project, she now also grows and sells black pepper saplings. Among those who started black pepper cultivation with her, only Preetilata has succeeded in expanding her out-of-the-ordinary venture. To promote eco-friendly farming, she uses organic fertilizers and pesticides for her crops. Over the past few years, she has earned approximately BDT 2.4 lakh from black pepper, saplings, and inter-crops like ginger and turmeric.

Her success has also positively impacted her family. Her eldest daughter, Mitali, completed her bachelor’s degree before being married off. Preetilata’s second daughter, Shiuli, is pursuing her bachelor’s with honors at Barishal Nursing College. Her son, Amit, has passed SSC and now serves in the police. 

In recognition of her achievements, Preetilata was awarded the ‘City Group-Prothom Alo Agriculture Award 2024’ as the best female farmer. Her resilience and determination have made her a role model for others in her community.

By Ehsanul Habib