Stories
Masuma Akhtar, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Kai Gari, Bogura Sadar, faced financial challenges when her husband lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic. To help her family, Masuma turned her love for meat pickles into a business, providing employment to 4-5 individuals daily. However, she encountered obstacles due to the high price of beef pickles at BDT 1400 per kg and a lack of proper packaging, resulting in customer hesitation and hindering business growth.
Luckily, Masuma found the “Market Development of Safe Meat and Dairy Products” sub-project under the “Rural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP)” through “Gram Unnayan Karma (GUK).” With the guidance of GUK, she learned about proper packaging and started marketing mini-packed meat pickles. She sourced fresh safe meat from the “Bogura Meat Processing Plant,” which reignited consumer interest and propelled her business to success. The project provided her with essential tools such as deep freezers, gas stoves, cylinders, packaging sealer machines, and wet scale machines. The mini-pack pickles gained popularity both online and offline, with Masuma selling 190 to 200 kg of beef pickles every month, resulting in a monthly profit of BDT 75,000.
In an effort to expand her business, she introduced “Bhuri and Paya” in 1 kg and 500 gm boxes with the support of the project. Masuma’s business not only restored financial stability to her family but also earned her husband’s unwavering support. She plans to further expand the meat-drying business on a larger scale.
Operating under the name ‘RMFoodCorner’ on Facebook, Masuma’s beef pickles have reached 16 countries worldwide. Through her efforts, she has increased family income and established a strong self-identity and social status. Masuma’s journey serves as an inspiration for other women entrepreneurs, highlighting the transformative power of determination and innovation in overcoming adversity.
