The art of helping others to become self-reliant

Shamsiara Koli at her factory with girls making handicrafts. She trained and employed 30 girls, most of them students, who now earn at least Tk 1000 a month. PHOTO: STAR

The girls spend their leisure time gainfully at Koli's factory at a rented house at Shalbon in the town and each of them earn around Tk 1000 per month.

Koli trains them with care to making handicrafts, which are widely used now and will open up their prospects to be self-reliant, some of the girls told this correspondent during a visit.

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"This not my business venture. I know the art and so have created an opportunity for others to earn something to meet their education expenses and to think for the future", the 30 year-old Koli said.

"My efforts have created confidence among many. This is my success", she said.

Koli knows the art of using her skill to make beautiful and attractive things including dolls from most ordinary things. Handicrafts produced at her factory include dolls, beautiful embroidery on fashionable garments and sarees, boutiquie, jute products like coloured and decorated wallmat, schoolbag and other decoration pieces. The products are supplied to other districts also.

A graduate of National University, Koli said she had fascination for handicrafts and sewing since then childhood.

Born and brought up in Rangpur town, she used to make women's dresses for free when she was a school student.

Then she learnt block printing, boutique and designing on clothe at the government-run Rangpur Youth Development Centre and started selling her products.

"As many as thirty women are doing part time job here. Most of them are college and university students. They work at home or at my workshop and earn money to meet their education expenses."

Like Koli, now there are around 30 enterprising women in Rangpur town.

Babli Chowdhury runs a similar handicraft workshop called Medha Bikash Kenro (centre for talent exposure).

Trained by Koli, Babli started her venture with Tk. 20,000. She said she employs about a dozen women and earns a small amount of profit.

All the workshops together employ around 600 women. But none of the women entrepreneurs got any financial assistance from any bank or NGO, Koli and Babli said.