Transform Trade launches their first women-run rural community store

British Charity called Transform Trade (legally known as Traidcraft Exchange) inaugurated their first women-run community store called 'Shodaipati' at Bakoshpul Bazar of Manirampur Upazilla in Jashore District, Bangladesh on 10 November 2022.  This is the first of 100 targeted rural community stores which will be run and managed collaboratively by rural female entrepreneurs in the northern, southern and central regions of Bangladesh. Around 500+ people attended the event as guests which included local influential, FMCG distributors, public officials, community members etc.

During the inauguration, the Additional District Commissioner (General) Mr Rafiqul Hasan was present as the chief guest in the ceremony, he proudly said that as ADC he fully supports the initiative to create female business owners in his community. Mr Md Ali Hasan, Assistant Commissioner (land) from Manirampur, said this is a timely initiative by Transform Trade and he expects that this project will leave a sustainable livelihood stream for women. Mr Azizul Haque, Executive Director of, Ulashi Sreejoni Sangha (USS), the implementing partner of this project said women will lead inside and outside their homes, and they are proud to be a part of this initiative. Kazi Shahed Ferdous, Country Director of Transform Trade, said WEE project aims to empower 15,000 marginal women through 100 women community stores and will create an example of incorporating women into formal value chains of Bangladesh.

This initiative is a part of the European Union and Transform Trade co-funded project called 'Empowering Women's CSOs to Ensure Good Governance (WEE)' that aims to empower rural women and their grassroots CSOs to promote good governance and inclusive sustainable development. The Women Community Store is an effort of this project to integrate rural marginalized women into a formal value chain to support them to become economically empowered. The project is also helping capacitate the women with the required business and sales skills as well as the confidence to run these shops.