Blerta Cela

These three women did not need the approval of others to feel content in themselves; rather they made people around them feel happier. They had the whole world in front of them and would have chosen to do so many things in their lives, like fierce rays of the sun spreading light and creating love wherever they went. They loved Dhaka, Bangladesh and its people and made this unique city their home. Their motto in life was “be happy…enjoy life to the fullest.”

KHADIJA Begum—an independent woman from an extremely poor family living in the urban slums of Gopalganj—took over her new leadership role as a councillor for Gopalganj Pourashava. Khadija is the women in the middle wearing a grey scarf.